Determination of the species belonging of the scrapers during the helminthological autopsy of the Baikal seal (Pusa Sibirica)
https://doi.org/10.52419/issn2072-2419.2025.3.107
Abstract
The Baikal seal (Pusa sibirica) is an endemic species to this pond, it feeds exclusively on fish belonging to many species that live both on the surface and at a depth of more than 400 meters in various regions of the lake. Seals are parasitized by both ectoand endoparasites, including cestodes and nematodes of intestinal and pulmonary localization. In addition, seals can be accidental hosts of parasites common to other animal species. The article presents the results of a study of scrapers obtained in helminthological autopsy from the gastrointestinal tract of Baikal seals during the annual scientific research expedition of the Baikal branch of VNIRO to study the abundance, monitoring the territorial distribution and role of Baikal seals in the closed ecosystem of Lake Baikal in the Chivyrkuy Bay in October 2020-2022. The samples were placed in 70% and 96% alcohol in individual test tubes and examined by microscopy and using a compressor. The scrapers identification was made by such features as the shape of the body, the presence and location of the proboscis, the number of hooks on the proboscis (how many rows and how many in one row) and their absence on the body, the size of the parasite, its localization in the body of the Baikal seal. Our research has suggested that the scrapers found in the gastrointestinal tract of the Baikal seal belong to the species Metechinorhynchus truttae, which parasitizes the intestines of fish in Lake Baikal. When eating seals, fish infected with M. truttae, both fish and helminth tissues are digested, which does not affect the welfare of seals.
About the Authors
I. V. Suvorova
Center for Oceanography and Marine Biology "Moskvarium"
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Chief Veterinarian
D. A. Makarova
Saint Petersburg State University of Veterinary Medicine
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
5th year student
A. V. Zabrovskaya
Saint Petersburg State University of Veterinary Medicine
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Doctor of Veterinary Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Parasitology named after V.L. Yakimov
References
1. Baldanova, D. R. Fertility of acanthocephalans of the genus Echinorhynchus (Acanthocephala: Echinorhynchidae) from Lake Baikal // Parasitology. 2000. Vol. 34. Pp. 150-153. (In Russ.)
2. Peterfeld, V.A. Nutrition of the Baikal seal and its role in the trophic structure of the Baikal ecosystem / V.A. Peterfeld, E.A. Petrov // Proceedings of VNIRO. – 2024. – Vol.197. – pp.43-59; DOI 10.36038/2037-3497-2024-197-43-59 (In Russ)
3. Suvorova, I.V. Infection of the Baikal seal (Pusa siberica., Gmelin, 1788) with the nematode Contracaecum osculatum baicalensis / I.V.Suvorova, I.F. Belokobylsky // Proceedings of the XII International Scientific and Practical Conference "Marine Research and Education (Maresedu-2023). Tver. - 2024. - pp.234-236 (In Russ)
4. Neprimerova T. A. Parasitic diseases of animals of the Russian State Circus Company: author's abstract. diss. ... candidate of biological sciences. - M, 2013. - 23 p. (In Russ.).
5. Delyamure, S. J. Helminth fauna of marine mammals in light of their ecology and phylogeny. Moscow: Publishing House of the USSR Academy of Sciences, 1955. 517 p. (In Russ.).
6. Yakimova, A.V. Review article on pinniped diseases / A.V. Yakimova, A.A. Deltsov, I.V. Suvorova // Veterinary morphology and pathology. – 2-24. - No. 1. – pp.45-64 (In Russ)
7. Rusinek, O. Contracaecum spp. from endemic Baikal fishes: The Baikal yellowfin Cottocomephorus grewingkii (Dybowski, 1874) and the longfin Baikal sculpin Cottocomephorus inermis (Yakovlev, 1890) / o. Rusinek, M. Kulikowski, R. Najda, J. Rokiski // The Oceanological and Hydrobiological Studies. - 2025. – Vol. 44. – Is. 1. – P.68-73 (In Engl)
8. Suvorova, I.V. Cestodes of the Baikal seal (Pusa siberica Gmelin, 1788) / I.V. Suvorova, I.F. Belokobylsky, S.E. Spiridonov // Abstracts of the All-Russian conference "Marine Biology in the 21st century: developmental biology, molecular and cellular biology, biotechnology of marine organisms (in memory of Academician Vladimir Leonidovich Kasyanov). September 12-15, 2023, Vladivostok, Russia, pp.313-314.(In Russ)
9. Suvorova, I. V., Prokushina, K. S. Pulmonary nematodoses of the Baikal seal (Pusa sibirica) // Theory and practice of combating parasitic diseases. 2021. No. 22. Pp. 509- 513. (In Russ.).
10. NEMAPLEX URL http:// nemaplex.ucdavis.edu/ (In Engl)
11. Delyamure, S. L., Skryabin, A. S. Methodology of helminthological dissections of marine mammals // In the book: Marine mammals. Moscow: Nauka, 1965. Pp. 210- 302. (In Russ.).
12. Atrashkevich, G.Year. Asian roots in the sand of the average biodiversity collection / g.Year. Atrashkevich, The Family.Year. Mikhailov, N.M. Orlovskaya, V.V. Pospekhova // Parasitology. – 2-16. – Vol. 50. - No. 4. – pp.263-290 (In Russ)
13. Baldanova, D. R. Vertical distribution of acanthocephalans of the order Echinorhynchida (Acanthocephala) in Lake Baikal // Parasitology. 2008. Vol. 42, No. 3. Pp. 197-203. (In Russ.).
14. Meshchersky, I.G. Genetic features of nematodes of the genus Parafilarioides, parasitizing Baikal and Caspian seals / I.G. Meshchersky, I.V. Suvorova // Proceedings of the All-Russian conference "Marine biology in the 21st century; systematics, genetics, ecology of marine organisms". Vladivostok, September 20-23, 2022, pp.227-228
Review
For citations:
Suvorova I.V., Makarova D.A., Zabrovskaya A.V. Determination of the species belonging of the scrapers during the helminthological autopsy of the Baikal seal (Pusa Sibirica). International Journal of Veterinary Medicine. 2025;(3):107-113. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.52419/issn2072-2419.2025.3.107
Views:
14
Email this article 