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Information × Registration Number 0222U000045, 0121U111976 , R & D reports Title Parasite fauna of the invasive red-eared slider, Trachemys scripta elegans (Wied, 1839) and its impact on the population conditions of the European mud turtle, Emys orbicularis L. popup.stage_title Head Svitin Roman S., Registration Date 02-01-2022 Organization Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine popup.description2  The project was carrying on in several steps. During the reported period we performed several field trips to different lacations of Zaporiz`ka oblast and Kyivska oblast for the material collection. During the first trips the method of the turtle collection was mastered (modified big-sized crab traps). In total, 20 specimens were caught. All collected turtles were transferred to the lab fur further dissection. During the dissection we have found that all turtles from Zaporiz`ka oblast and most from Kyivska oblast were free of helminths. Only two turtles from two different lakes in Kyivska oblast were infected with 6 specimens of the nematode Spiroxys contortus and with 25 specimens of trematodes from the genus Telorchis, respectively. It was noted that trematodes are significantly different from all species known from Europe and might be introduced from North America along with the red-eared slider. Preliminary results from two distant localities shows very poor parasitofauna of both pond turtles and red-eared sliders. Such data is not enough for the comprehensive analysis of the influence of the red-eared slider`s parasites on the population of the pond turtles. However, the presence of the Telorchis trematodes (that require freshwater snails as intermediate hosts) is showing a serious threat of the new pathogens’ appearance. For the identification of both parasite species nuclear (28S) and mitochondrial (cox1) gene markers were sequenced. Unfortunately, the absence of sequences of the North American species did not allow us to identify the species, though these specimens were clearly different from all three species available in GenBank. On the next stage we are planning to continue collection of the material from western and central regions of Ukraine. Product Description popup.authors popup.nrat_date 2022-03-09 Close