POROCEPHALUS CROTALI (PENTASTOMIDA) PARASITIZING THE YUCATAN NEOTROPICAL RATTLESNAKE (CROTALUS TZABCAN) IN THE YUCATAN PENINSULA, MEXICO

摘要

We report the first record of the parasitic pentastomid Porocephalus crotali in the Yucatan neotropical rattlesnake, Crotalus tzabcan, from the Yucatan Peninsula. The species of parasite was described from three males and five females collected from the lungs of a female rattlesnake killed on Km 260.5 Escarcega-Chetumal highway in January 2007. The parasites harbored similar morphometric values, a mouth as a keyhole situated in the inner hook line, simple internal hooks, and double external hooks, which are consistent with features reported in the original description of P. crotali. The occurrence of P. crotali in the Yucatan neotropical rattlesnake represents new geographical and host records for this species. Porocephalus crotali is one of six species of the genus described from the Americas and is apparently the most widely distributed pentastomid infecting snakes. Moreover, this is the fifth record of a porocephalid pentastomid in Mexican snakes. We discussed the zoonotic implications of pentastomes.