Acta Parasitologica, Vol. 51, No. 2, 2006, 119-122 Catarina Eira(1)*, Jordi Miquel(1), Jose Vingada(2) and Jordi Torres(1) - Natural infection of Oryctolagus cuniculus (Lagomorpha,
Leporidae) by Gongylonema neoplasticum (Nematoda, Gongylonematidae) in Portugal
(1)Laboratori de Parasitologia, Departament de Microbiologia i Parasitologia Sanitaries, Facultat de Farmacia, Universitat de Barcelona,
Av. Joan XXIII, sn, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; (2)Departamento de Biologia, Universidade do Minho, Campus de Gualtar,
4710-057 Braga, Portugal
*Corresponding author: catarina.eira@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
Gongylonema neoplasticum was identified in the oesophagus of 14 wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) from Portugal. This
is the first record of Gongylonema neoplasticum in a naturally infected lagomorph species in Europe. This paper presents the
most relevant measurements of adult worms and some of their surface features seen by scanning electron microscopy.
Epidemiological aspects of G. neoplasticum such as geographical distribution, host spectrum and biological features are discussed.
KEY WORDS: Gongylonema neoplasticum, Nematoda, Oryctolagus cuniculus, Lagomorpha, Portugal