Helminth fauna of Spiny Tailed Lizard, Darevskia rudis (Bedriaga, 1886) (Sauria: Lacertidae) from Turkey

The present study investigated the composition of helminth parasites of Darevskia rudis, Spiny Tailed Lizard from Turkey. One hundred and two samples (49 females, 53 males) from the Tokat, Trabzon, Rize, Gumushane and Artvin Provinces were collected and examined for helminth parasites. New host and locality records were recorded. As a result of the present study, seven species of Nematoda, Skrjabinodon medinae, Spauligodon sp., Spauligodon carbonelli, Spauligodon aloisei, Skrjabinelazia hoffmanni, Strongyloides darevsky, Oswaldocruzia filiformis; one species of Cestoda, Mesocestoides spp. (tetrathyridium) and one species of Acanthocephala Sphaerirostris scanensis were reported from the lizard samples. Sp. carbonelli and Sphaerirostris scanensis are here recorded for the first time in Turkey. D. rudis is the new host recorded for Sk. medinae, Spauligodon sp., Sp. carbonelli, Sp. aloisei from Nematoda, Mesocestoides spp. from Cestoda and Sphaerirostris scanensis from Acanthocephala. This host has been studied for the fi rst time for the helminth parasites from the Tokat and Gumushane Provinces. There is, to our knowledge, only one report of helminthes for D. rudis in Turkey.