Small Indian mongoose(Herpestes auropunctatus)in Iran:first evidence for the infection with Spirura sp.(Nematoda:Spiruridae)

Objective:To investigate the infection with gastrointestinal helminthes in small Indian mongooses(Herpestes auropunctatus)and its epidemiologic aspects in Iran.Methods:During June 2012 to July 2013,a total of 13 small Indian mongooses were caught using live trap boxes in an area located near Shiraz,southern of Iran.Captured animals were euthanized,eviscerated and parts of the alimentary tract were inspected.Two mongooses showed a nematode attached to the mucosa of the stomach.Results:According to the main morphological characteristics,the specimens belonged to the genus Spirura(Blanchard 1849).This study represents the first evidences of the infection withSpirura sp.in Herpestes auropunctatus in the world.Conclusions:Because the animal can invade and appear in the habitat of the other animal populations including omnivores or carnivores,it seems that mongooses in this area could have a high potential for the transmission of the infection with the spirurid nematodes to a large range of animals.Thus,besides the necessity of conducting the controlling programs,autochthonous dogs,cats and rodents should be included in more epidemiological studies in this region.

Sex and season explain spleen weight variation in the Egyptian mongoose

The Egyptia n mon goose (Herpestes ichneumon Linn aeus, 1758) is a medium-sized car nivore that experienced remarkable geographic expansion over the last 3 decades in the Iberian Peninsula. In this study, we investigated the association of species-related and abiotic factors with spleen weight (as a proxy for immunocompete nee) in the species. We assessed the relationship of body con dition, sex, age, seas on, and envir onmental conditi ons with splee n weight established for 508 hunted specimens. Our results indicate that the effects of sex and season outweigh those of all other variables, including body condition. Spleen weight is higher in males than in females, and heavier spleens are more likely to be found in spring, coinciding with the highest period of investment in reproduction due to mating, gestation, birth, and lactation. Coupled with the absence of an effect of body condition, our findi ngs suggest that splee n weight variation in this species is mostly influe need by lifehistory traits linked to reproduction, rather than overall energy availability, winter immunoenhancement, or energy partitioning effects, and prompt further research focusing on this topic.