Helminths of Birds and Mammals from Israel: III. Helminths from Chromosomal Forms of the Mole-Rat, Spalax ehrenbergi

The helminth fauna of the chromosomal forms of Spalax ehrenbergi occurring in Israel was studied. In the examination of 153 hosts, five species of adult helminth and one larval nematode were recovered, namely: Heligmonella sp.; Trichuris muris (Schrank, 1788); Ganguleterakis spalaxi Kozlov and Yangolenko, 1962/63; Gongylonema longispiculum Schultz, 1927 and Paranoplocephala sp.No correlation could be observed between the chromosomal forms and the helminth fauna.Heligmonella sp. the most prevalent, was recovered from all chromosomal forms, other species occurred in two or three forms only.A correlation could be established between climatic conditions and the distribution of the helminths. Heligmonella sp. was found in mole-rats from all climatic regions whereas the other helminths occurred only in those from northern and central areas.The geographic and bionomic aspects of this distribution are discussed.