Toxocara cati (Schrank, 1788) (Ascarididae: Toxocarinae) parasitizing Leopardus Geoffroyi (D'orbigny & Gervais, 1844) (Carnivora: Felidae) in the province of San Juan, Argentina

Authors

  • Gabriel N. Castillo Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Av. Ignacio de la Roza 590, 5402, San Juan, Argentina. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1519-9457
  • Cynthia J. González-Rivas Centro de Rehabilitación de Fauna Silvestre, Educación Ambiental y Recreación Responsable, San Juan, Argentina. Ruta Provincial N° 60 KM 14 5400 Rivadavia, San Juan, Argentina. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8294-6999
  • Hector J. Villavicencio Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Av. Ignacio de la Roza 590, 5402, San Juan, Argentina. https://orcid.org/0009-0006-0120-4867
  • Gabriela Cánovas Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Av. Ignacio de la Roza 590, 5402, San Juan, Argentina.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62429/rnh20262022169

Keywords:

Interaction, nematode, parasitism, parasites, wildcat

Abstract

Toxocara cati (Schrank, 1788) is a cosmopolitan nematode species of major epizootiological relevance among predatory mammals of the family Felidae. Despite its global distribution and numerous records in the literature, studies providing detailed morphological data on adult males remain limited. The present study aims to provide the first description based on morphological characteristics and morphometric measurements of an adult male specimen of T. cati recovered from a free-living Geoffroy’s cat ][Leopardus geoffroyi (D'Orbigny & Gervais, 1844)] in San Juan Province, Argentina. The male specimen exhibited broad, arrowhead-shaped cervical alae, a nerve ring located near the excretory pore, unequal spicules, and 22 pairs of precloacal papillae arranged in two rows of 11, as well as 10 postcloacal papillae. This study provides previously unreported information on parasitism in Geoffroy’s cat and represents the first record of this host–parasite interaction in central-western Argentina. The occurrence of T. cati in Geoffroy’s cat likely reflects ecological interactions with domestic cats.

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Published

2026-06-19

How to Cite

N. Castillo, G., González-Rivas, C. J., Villavicencio, H. J., & Cánovas, G. (2026). Toxocara cati (Schrank, 1788) (Ascarididae: Toxocarinae) parasitizing Leopardus Geoffroyi (D’orbigny & Gervais, 1844) (Carnivora: Felidae) in the province of San Juan, Argentina. Neotropical Helminthology, 20(2). https://doi.org/10.62429/rnh20262022169