A prevalence study of ectoparasites on the long-eared hedgehog (Hemiechinus auritus)‎ in al-Muthanna province-Iraq

Abstract EN

This study was carried out in AL-Muthanna province during the period from November 2014 to May 2015.A (41) animals of long eared hedgehog Hemiechinus auritus(27 male, 14female) were collected from different area of Al-Muthanna Province (Rural and Urban regions).

A total number of 41 hedgehogs, 19 were infested with ticks (46.34%).

All ticks were belonged to Rhipicephalus turanicus species, also the fleas of the species Archaeopsylla.

erinacei were found on 12 hedgehog of 41 (29.26%) examined hedgehog.

Also the results showed, that the rates of infestation with R.

turanicus and A.

erinacei were difference significant (P<0.05) between the sexes (male and female) of hedgehogs that the rate of infestation with ticks was 12(44.44%) for male and 7(50%) for female, while the fleas was 8(29.62%) for male and 4(28.57%) for female.

Highest occurrence of infestation in both tick and flea was in April 62.5%.

Prevalence of ectoparasite in March, April and May was 50% and 59.1%.

While there are no infection in November, December, January and February.

The significant variations were no observed among months in both ectoparasite species (P>0.05).