Морфометричні особливості Toxascaris leonina (Linstow, 1902)

The paper presents the data of the morphometric structure of Toxascaris leonina nematode (Linstow, 1902), a causative agent of widespread helminthic disease of carnivorous animals. The aim of the research was to establish and compare the morphometric parameters of mature Toxascaris leonina helminths and their eggs derived from domestic pets (Felis silvestris catus) and wild cats (Panthera leo) . The studies were conducted in 2017, and the ground for it were sexually mature males and females obtained after deworming of animals. Different morphological and metric parameters for the imago helminth were the length and width of their body, the size of the spicules, the structure of the tail and the anterior and posterior part. While examining eggs, the shape, color, and size of shells were taken into account. It was established that females of Toxascaris selected from domestic and wild cats are characterized by larger lengths (by 26% and 26.6%) and body width (by 50.6 and 53.3%) compared to males. Average indicators of the length and width of the body of Toxascaris and the size of their eggs in domestic cats are higher than similar indicators of helminths obtained from wild cats. The body weight of the Toxascaris leonina males was 24.4% (p <0.05), and the width was 14.6% higher than that of the worms obtained from lions – 4.42 ± 0.7 cm and 0.35 ± 0,13 cm respectively. The average body length of females of Toxascaris leonina in domestic cats is 23.9% higher (p <0.05) than wild cats – 6.02 ± 1.12 cm. The metric indices of Toxascaris eggs in domestic cats are characterized by larger sizes and widths by 15.6% and 14.7% (p <0.05) than the indices of Toxascaris eggs in wild cats (78.76 ± 2.54 × 66.44 ± 3.66 μm). The described differences in the metric parameters of the body of Toxascaris leonina are confirmed by the fact that the size of helminths and macroorganism do not depend on each other. The obtained data facilitate the differential diagnosis of the pathogen, and also complement the morphometric characteristics of Toxascaris leonina , as one of the species of parasitic fauna of wild carnivores.