PARASITES OF SOUTH AFRICAN WILDLIFE. XII. HELMINTHS OF NY ALA, TRAGELAPHUSANGASI~INNATAL

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Onderstepoort J. vet. Res., 8,7-80 (99) PARASITES OF SOUTH AFRICAN WILDLIFE. XII. HELMINTHS OF NY ALA, TRAGELAPHUSANGASI~INNATAL J. BOOMKER(ll, I. G. HORAK< >, andj. R. B. FLAMAND< > BOOMKER, J., HORAK, I. G. & FLAMAND, J. R. B., 99. Parasites of South African wildlife. XII. Helminths of nyala, Tragelaphus angasii, in Natal. Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research, 8, 7-80 (99) The helminths of 77 nyala, Tragelaphus angasii, from game reserves in Natal, were collected, counted and identified. Ten nematode species and nematode genera, a trematode species and paramphistomes, and cestode genera were recovered from the antelope. Of these, a Cooperia rotundispiculum race, Gaigeria pachyscelis, a Gongylonema sp., Haemonchus vegliai, Impalaia tuberculata, an Oesophagostomum sp., a Setaria sp., Trichostrongylus deflexus, Trichostrongylus falculatus, the larval stage of a Taenia sp., a Thysaniezia sp. and Schistosoma mattheei are new parasite records for this host. Individual nematode helminth burdens varied from to 9 and the total mean nematode burden was 700. The mean burdens of nyala from Mkuzi were the largest and those from animals from the Umfolozi Game Reserve and the False Bay Park the smallest. Ostertagia harrisi was the most prevalent nematode, and it was also the most numerous in nyala from Umfolozi, Mkuzi and False Bay. A race of Cooperia rotundispiculum was the most numerous in nyala from Ndumu. No clear-cut trends in the seasonal abundance could be discerned for any of the worm species recovered in this study. INTRODUCTION Nyala, Tragelaphus angasii Gray, 89 are medium-sized antelope that show the most :pronounced sexual dimorphism of all the South Afncan antelopes (Smithers, 98). Adult males are about em at the shoulder, with a mean mass of 08 kg. They are slatey-grey, verying to dark brown or even black or tan depending on the direction of the light (Tello & Van Gelder, 97). The younger males have up to vertical white stripes on the body, while older individuals have only or, or no stripes at all. There is a distinct white chevron on the top of the muzzle and only the males carry horns (Smithers, 98). The females are distinctly smaller, measuring 97 em at the shoulder, with a mean mass of 6 kg. They are bright chestnut, with up to 8 white vertical stripes on the body. The white chevron on the muzzle and white spots on the haunches may or may not be present (Smithers, 98). Nyala are gregarious, occurring in transient herds of up to 0 animals (Tello & Van Gelder, 97). They are not territorial and occupy overlapping home ranges (Smithers, 98). These antelope are predominantly browsers, feeding on the leaves, twigs, flowers, bark and fruit of more than 08 species of dicotyledonaceous plants (Tello & Van Gelder, 97). Grass is also eaten, especially when fresh and sprouting after rains (Smithers, 98). Stomach contents of nyala in the Hluhluwe Game Reserve consisted of 70 % browse and 0% grass (Vincent, Hitchins, Bigalke & Bass, 968) Where water is available, nyala drink regularly, but it is apparently not an essential requirement, as they also occur in areas where it is only available seasonally (Smithers, 98). (I) Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Medical University of Southern Africa, P.O. Box 9, Medunsa 00 ( ) Del'artment of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Umversity of Pretoria, Onderstepoort 00 (J) Natal Parks, Game and Fish Preservation Board, P.O. Box 6, Mtubatuba 9 Received July 99- Editor Nyala have a restricted habitat and they are usually found in thickets in dry savannah woodland or riverine woodland. Although they do occur in open grassland, they do so only to graze on the new flush after rains, and are seldom more than a few hundred metres away from thickets (Tello & Van Gelder, 97; Smithers, 98). Nyala are quite adaptable, and encroaching bush on abandoned cultivated lands provides an ideal habitat (Tello & Van Gelder, 97). In South Africa, these antelope occur naturally in the Limpopo valley in the northern Transvaal; south of this, along the Mozambique border in the Kruger National Park to about 0' S; and in Natal in the northern regions, including the Ndumu, Mkuzi, Hluhluwe, Umfolozi and St. Lucia Game Reserves. They are also present on privately owned game ranches wherever the habitat is suitable. The internal parasites of nyala are not well known, despite the antelopes' relative abundance in the Repubhc of South Africa. Round (968) lists Calicophoron calicophorum, Cotylophoron cotylophorum, Paramphistomum microbothrium, Cordophilus sagittus, Setaria africana and Setaria labiatopapillosa, but states that no indication is given of the locality from which Setaria labiatopapillosa was derived. Dixon (96) lists Calicophoron calicophorum, Cotylophoron jacksoni and Paramphistomum microbothrium as occuring in nyala in the Mkuzi Game Reserve. Vincent et al., (968) list 'Ostertagia harisi (from Oesophagus), Gongylonema verucosum (from small intestine)' (sic), P. microbothrium and Paramphistomum sp. from the rumen and reticulum of nyala from Hluhluwe. Keep (97) added Dictyocaulus viviparus, Haemonchus sp. and Ostertagia trifurcata, Boomker (986) Paracooperia horaki from nyala from some Natal game reserves and Boomker, Horak & De Vos (986) the helminths of nyala shot at Pafuri in the northern part of the Kruger National Park. The latter antelope harboured only Haemonchus vegliai and a race of Cooperia rotundispiculum. As part of the ongoing survey of the helminth parasites of wild animals in South Africa, the helminths of 77 nyala culled in game reserves in northern Natal were collected. An amended parasite list for these antelope, which includes several new re- 7

PARASITES OF SOUTH AFRICAN WILDLIFE. XII cords, is provided and the patterns of seasonal abundance of the nematode parasites from nyala from the various localities are discussed. The study areas MATERIALS AND METHODS Umfolozi The Umfolozi Game Reserve (Umfolozi) (8 '-8 ' S; '- 9' E) comprises about 7 7 ha of hilly country, 0-{00 m above sea level. Two vegetation types are recognised, viz., Zululand Thornveld along the slopes and crests of the hills and Lowveld in the valleys (Acocks, 988). Both browse and grazing are plentiful. The annual rainfall varies from 00 to 70 mm and falls mainly in summer. Summers are hot and winters cool to mild, and frost seldom occurs. Umfolozi is arbitrarily divided into two areas; a wilderness or no-cull, area where no culling of animals is allowed and which comprises most of the valleys and riverine forest, and an 'open', or cull, area, consisting mostly of thick scrub on the slopes of the hills, where ammals are regularly culled and caught for translocation. The main study area was the cull area of Umfolozi. An attempt was made to obtain adult male, adult female and juvenile nyala of either sex from the cull area each month from March 98 to April 98. However, none were shot during August, September and November 98, and only during each of May 98 and January 98. Only antelope per month were shot during April, October and December 98 and February 98 but were collected during March 98. Twenty-six nyala were shot, of which 9 were adult males, adult females, juvenile males and juvenile females. Bi-monthly collection of nyala was attempted in the no-cull area of Umfolozi from May 98 to January 98; nyala were, however, only shot during May, June, August and October 98 and January 98. Fourteen nyala were collected, of which were adult males, adult females and juvenile females. Mkuzi The Mkuzi Game Reserve (Mkuzi), which is approximately 09 ha in extent, is situated in the so-called Maputaland (7 '-7 6' S; 07'- 9' E, altitude 0-00 m), and extends from the eastern foothills of the Lebombo mountain range westwards into the Makatini flats. The vegetation of the higher areas is classified as Lowveld, while that at lower altitudes consists of the Zululand Palm Veld subdivision of Coastal Forest and Thornveld (Acocks, 988). Rain falls mostly in summer and varies from 00 to 70 mm. Summers are hot and often humid and winters are mild. Frost seldom occurs. Twenty nyala were shot during March, June, July and October 98, and January and May 98. Of these, 7 were adult males, adult females, juvenile males and juvenile females. Ndumu!he Ndumu Game Reserve (Ndumu), which compnses approximately 000 ha, is situated in the extreme north of Natal (6 0'-6 6' S 09'- ' E ; altitude 0-00 m) and shares a common boundary in the north with southern Mozambique. Ndumu falls within the Lowveld subtype of Tropical Bush and Savannah (Acocks, 988). The rainfall varies from 00 to 70 mm per annum and falls mostly in summer. Summers are hot and humid and winters are mild; frost does not occur. Fourteen nyala, adult males, adult and old female, juvenile male and juvenile females, were shot in this reserve at irregular intervals from April 98 to May 98. False Bay Park One male and female nyala were shot during April 987 in False Bay Park (7 ' S; ' E, altitude 0-00 m), which is situated on the western shores of Lake St. Lucia, an area classified as the Zululand Palm Veld subdivision of Coastal Thornveld and Coastal communities (Acocks, 988). The annual rainfall of 60-000 mm falls mostly during the hot, humid summers. Winters are mild and frost seldom occurs. Collection and identification of parasites The helminths of all the antelope were collected as described by Boomker, Horak & De Vas (989) and were identified using the descriptions provided by the authors listed in Table. This table also lists the helminth parasites of nyala recorded to date. RESULTS The numbers of helminths recovered and their prevalence is presented in Table. Excluding the nyala from False Bay, the total adult nematode burdens are listed in Table according to locality, host age and sex. The seasonal abundance of nematodes of nyala from U mfolozi is illustrated in Fig. and that of nyala from Mkuzi and Ndumu in Fig.. Umfolozi Seven nematode species and genera, paramphistomes and Schistosoma mattheei, and the larva of a Taenia species were recovered from the animals from the cull area. Of these, 0. harrisi was the most abundant, followed by the C. rotundispiculum race, P. horaki and H. vegliai. 0. harrisi was the most prevalent nematode and occurred in nyala, followed by P. horaki ( antelope), the C. rotundispiculum race (0 antelope) and H. vegliai (6 antelope). The paramphistomes were the most abundant trematodes and occurred in 0 nyala. The individual adult nematode burdens varied from to 80 and only nyala did not harbour any worms (Table ). The adult nematode burden was larger in the male animals than in the females. Comparison with the younger animals is not possible, because too few were collected. Six species of nematodes, a nematode genus and paramphistomes were recovered from the nyala shot m the no-cull area. Those helminths that were common to nyala from both the cull and the no-cull areas occurred in the same order of abundance in both areas. 0. harrisi was again the most prevalent nematode ( nyala), followed by the C. rotundispiculum race and P. horaki ( nyala each). 76

J. BOOMKER, I. G. HORAK & J. R. B. FLAMAND TABLE Amended list of the helminth parasites of nyala in the Republic of South Africa, with reference to the first record and the authors used to assist with the identification Parasite Trematodes Calicophoron calicophorum (Fischoeder, 90) Nasmark, 97 Cotylophoron cotylophorum (Fischoeder, 90) Stiles & Goldberger, 90 Cotylophoron jacksoni Nasmark, 97 Paramphistomum microbothrium Fischoeder, 90' Paramphistomum microbothrium Fischoeder, 90 Schistosoma mattheei Veglia & LeRoux, 99 Cestodes Taenia sp. larvae Thysaniezia sp. Nematodes Cooperia rotundispiculum race Khalil & Gibbons, 980 Cordophilus sagittus (Von Linstow, 907) Monnig, 96 Dictyocaulus viviparus (Bloch, 78) Railliet & Henry, 907 Gaige ria pachyscelis Railliet & Henry, 90 Gongylonema verrucosum (Giles, 89) Neumann, 98 Gongylonema sp. Haemonchus vegliai LeRoux, 99 Haemonchus sp. lmpalaia tubercula/a Monnig, 9 Oesophagostomum sp. Ostertagia harrisi LeRoux, 90 Ostertagia trifurcata Ransom, 907 Paracooperia horaki Boomker, 986 Setaria africana (Yeh, 99) Ortlepp, 96 Setaria labiatopapillosa (Perroncito, 88) Railliet & Henry, 9 Setaria sp. Trichostrongylus deflexus Boomker & Reinecke, 989 Trichostrongylus falculatus Ransom, 9 This record may precede the one of Dixon (96) Personal communication tom. C. Round, date not given Not found in this survey First Record Ortlepp (pers. comm.) Ortlepp (pers. comm.) Dixon, 96 Ortlepp (pers. comm.) Dixon, 96 Ortlepp, 96 Keep, 97 Vincent eta/., 968 Keep, 97 Vincent et at., 968 Keep, 97 Boomker, 986 Yeh, 99 Monnig, 9 Identification Veglia & LeRoux, 99 Verster, 969 Spassky, 96 Boomker, 99 Monnig, 96 Levine, 980 Levine, 980 Levine, 980 Gibbons, 979 Boomker, 977 Le Roux, 90 Boomker, 986 Yeh, 99 Yeh, 99 Yeh, 99 Boomker & Reinecke, 989 Ransom, 9. 0 0.9 0 $, '0 ~ 0.6 c (I) ro 0 - Umfolozl Cull l!l!il!ili Umfolozl No- c ull Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Oct Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr I 8 I 8 I Month FIG. The seasonal abundance of adult nematodes of nyala from the Umfolozi Game Reserve, c (I) '0 rn Mar Apr May Jun 8 - Mkuzl lilll!i Ndumu Jul Month Aug Oct Jan May I 8 I FIG. The seasonal abundance of adult nematodes of nyala from the Mkuzi and Ndumu Game Reserves The individual adult nematode burdens varied from 8 to 08 and nyala did not have any worms. There was virtually no difference between the mean nematode burdens of the adult and young animals, it being 606 and 66, respectively. Mkuzi Of the 9 nematode species, nematode genus and the paramphistomes recovered from the nyala from this locality, 0. harrisi was the most abundant, followed by the C. rotundispiculum race, the paramphistomes and P. horaki (Table ). 0. harrisi was the most prevalent, occurring in 9 of the 0 nyala, followed by P. horaki ( antelope), the paramphistomes ( antelope), the C. rotundispiculum race (0 antelope) and Setaria sp. (6 nyala). Individual adult nematode burdens varied from 8 to 9 and all nyala were infected. As was the case with the antelope from Umfolozi cull area, the males and the adult animals harboured the larger mean adult nematode burdens, but again, too few young animals were examined. Ndumu Six nematode species, nematode genera, cestode genus and paramphistomes were recovered from these nyala. The C. rotundispiculum race was the most abundant, followed by 0. harrisi, the paramphistomes, P. horaki and H. vegliai. 0. harrisi was the most prevalent, occurring in all nyala, followed by the C. rotundispiculum race and P. horaki (9 antelope each), and a Setaria sp. (7 antelope). The individual adult nematode burdens varied from 0 to 6 and all antelope were infected. The juvenile females harboured the largest mean adult nematode burden and the juveniles combined also harboured larger burdens than the adult antelope. False Bay These nyala harboured only nematode species and a nematode genus, of which 0. harrisi was the most abundant and most prevalent. Only nyala 77

PARASITES OF SOUTH AFRICAN WILDLIFE. XII TABLE The helminth parasites recovered from nyala from different localities in South Africa Locality and helminth species Larvae Umfolozi, cull area (6 animals) Schistosoma mattheei # Taenia sp. larva Cooperia rotundispiculum race Cooperia type larvae 0 Dictyocaulus viviparus 0 Gaige ria pachyscelis 0 Gongylonema sp. 0 Haemonchus vegliai lmpalaia sp. Oesophagostomum sp. male - Ostertagia harrisi 6 Paracooperia horaki Trichostrongylus falculatus 0 Mean nematode burden 6 Umfolozi no-cull area ( animals) Cooperia rotundispiculum race Cooperia type larvae Gaigeria pachyscelis 0 Haemochus vegliai 0 Ostertagia harrisi Paracooperia horaki Trichostrongylus deflexus 0 Mean nematode burden 6 Number of worms recovered Adults Total 8 8 # 87 87 - - 7 7 7 7 6 6 0 8 6 8 97 9 9 7 7 87 9 9 9-00 00 9 6 66 66 0 0 7 Number of aillmals infected 0 0 6 Mkuzi (0 animals) Cooperia rotundispiculum race Cooperia type larvae 77 Cordophilus sagittus 0 Gaigeria pachyscelis 0 Haemonchus vegliai lmpalaia tuberculata 0 Ostertagia harrisi 90 Paracooperia horaki Trichostrongylus deflexus 0 Trichostrongylus falculatus 0 Mean nematode burden 8 Nduma ( animals) Thysaniezia sp. # Cooperia rotundispiculum race Cooperia type larvae Cordophilus sagittus 0 Dictyocaulus viviparus 0 Haemonchus vegliai 8 Ostertagia harrisi Paracooperia horaki Trichostrongylus sp. females - Mean nematode burden 9 False Bay ( animals) Cooperia rotundispiculum race 0 Ostertagia harrisi 0 Mean nematode burden 7 Total nematode burden (all reserves) 0 Mean total nematode burden (all reserves) # Not found in ruminants - Not applicable Larvae mdistinguishable at species level. Counted together as Cooperia spp. 77 77 6 88 6 88-77 9 8 0 00 9 80 0 00 60 60 9 9 0 0 Fragn ents 0-0 8 8 88 97 98 87 87 60 69 7 7 70 80 6 0 7 0 687 700 0 9 6 9 9 7 78

J. BOOMKER, I. G. HORAK & J. R. B. FLAMAND TABLE The total adult nematode burdens of each age group of male and female nyala from the Umfolozi, Mkuzi and Ndumu Game Reserves Locality Umfolozi cull area Umfolozi no-cull area Mkuzi Ndumu Date Mar8 Apr8 May8 Jun8 Jul8 Oct8 Dec8 Jan8 Feb8 Mar8 Apr8 May8 Jun8 Aug8 Oct8 Jan8 Mar8 Jun8 Jul8 Oct8 Jan8 May8 Apr8 May8 Aug8 Jan8 May8 - No animal of this age or sex shot Mean burden of antelope Male Adult Female 80 9 8 9 7-8 6 8-09 - 8 0 6 786 8 70 7-9 788 0 67 8 8-6 9 7 - - 9 0 0 697 6 9 69 8 9 - - - 97-0 6 08 Juvenile Calf Mean monthly Male Female Male Female burden 9 - - - 89 - - - - 0 - - - - 7 - - 0-8 89 - - - 8 - - - - 97-67 - - 88 - - - - - - - - 9 - - 7 7-8 - - 0 6 8 0 77-0 - - 97 - - - 8 8 - - - 0-86 - - 99-08 - - 699-60 - 087 - - - 60 6 - - 76 - - - - 69 79 - - - 67 9 - - 7 68-8 - 00 78 8 77 - - - 0 6-8 - - 8-87 - - 9 68 - - 0 - - - - 9 68 786 0 harboured the C. rotundispiculum race and a Secaria sp. was present in. Individual adult nematode burdens varied from to 00 and all nyala were infected. DISCUSSION The C. rotundispiculum race recovered from many of the nyala is clearly distinguishable from typical C. rotundispiculum, as described by Gibbons & Khalil (980) (Boomker, 99), and is identical to that found in bushbuck, red and blue duikers and suni from Natal (Boomker, Keep, Flamand & Horak, 98; Boomker, Horak & Flamand, 99; Boomker, Booyse & Keep, 99; Boomker Booyse & Braack, 99). Umfolozi, Mukuzi and Ndumu The helminths recovered from nyala from these reserves are almost similar in their relative abundance and prevalence. 0. harrisi, P. horaki and the C. rotundispiculum race should be considered the major nematode species, and, according to the criteria set by Horak (980), should be classified as definitive parasites. H. vegliai and possibly the Setaria sp. from the antelope from Mkuzi, should be considered occasional parasites, while the remaining nematodes should be classed as accidental parasites. Although more helminth species were recovered from the animals in the cull area, the worms occurred in small numbers in only a few nyala. The mean nematode burden in the nyala from Mkuzi was about double that of the animals from Ndumu and slightly more than, times that of the nyala from the two areas within Umfolozi. However, if the large burden ( 9) of 0. harrisi that was recovered from only of the nyala is considered abnormal and ignored, the burden is approximately double that of the nyala in Umfolozi; it is then mostly due to C. rotundispiculum and 0. harrisi, and is ascribed to the climate that prevailed at the time of the study. Cordophilus sagittus was not present in any animals from Umfolozi, but were found in and nyala from Mkuzi and Ndumu, respectively. This may be due to the absence of the vector, which is assumed to be a tabanid fly (Boomker et al., 989). D. viviparus was found in nyala from the cull area in Umfolozi and from in Ndumu. The reason for this peculiar distribution in widely different vegetation and climatic types is unknown. False Bay The mean helminth burden is approximately one fifth that of the nyala from Mkuzi, about half of that of the nyala from Ndumu and slightly less that that from the nyala from both areas in Umfolozi. 79

PARASITES OF SOUTII AFRICAN WILDLIFE. XII As is evident from Table, the nyala from this locality harboured few helminth species. This is probably due to minimal cross-infection because of the few other antelope species occurring in this reserve. General The differences in the helminth species composition of the nyala in the Natal reserves are thought to be due to the number of antelope species in the various reserves. This is particularly true for such worms as Impalaia tuberculata, the Trichostrongylus spp. and Gaigeria pachyscelis, which are more often found in grazing antelope (Boomker, 977; Horak, 980; Horak, DeVos & Brown, 98; Boomker et a/., 989). The total mean burdens of the animals did not differ significantly when compared by means of the Student t-test (P < 0,). No clear-cut trends in the seasonal abundance of any of the worms were encountered in this study. Peak worm burdens occurred during March 98 and January 98 in nyala shot in the cull and no-cull areas of Umfolozi, respectively. The former peak was due to animal harbouring large numbers of 0. harrisi and the latter to animal having a large number of the C. rotundispiculum race. Peak burdens were seen in nyala from Mkuzi during March 98 and Ndumu during August 98; the former was due to 0. harrisi in nyala and the latter to the C. rotundispiculum race, also in animal. Only in prime adult male nyala shot during March 98 in Mkuzi was a very high helminth burden encountered. This animal harboured 9 nematodes of which 9 were 0. harrisi. However, it showed no ill effects of the infection, and one could deduce that either 0. harrisi is only mildly pathogenic, or that nyala are tolerant to its effects. It appears that male nyala in Umfolozi, Ndumu and Mkuzi carry larger burdens than the females, irrespective of their age. 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