PARASITES OF SOUTH-AFRICAN WILDLIFE - XV - HELMINTHS OF SCRUB HARES, LEPUS-SAXATILIS IN THE KRUGER-NATIONAL-PARK

A total of 145 scrub hares from three localities in the Kruger Nationa l Park were examined for helminths: 124 at Skukuza, 15 at Shingwedzi, and three each at Pretoriuskop and Pafuri. Trichostrongylus deflexus w as the most prevalent and most abundant nematode, and was collected fr om hares from all four localities. Trichostrongylus falculatus was pre sent in three localities. Trichostrongylus thomasi and Dermatoxys vlak haasi occurred only at Skukuza in 50 and 23 %, respectively, of the ha res examined. The cestode Mosgovoyia pectinata and the nematode genus Impalaia were each recovered from three localities and Cooperia hungi from two. There was no apparent seasonal pattern of abundance of the w orms, and the intensities of infection of male and female hares were s imilar. With the exception of D. vlakhaasi, all the helminths recovere d in this study represent new records for scrub hares in South Africa.