HELMINTH FAUNA OF THE IBERIAN LYNX, LYNX PARDINUS

Specimens of 12 helminth species were collected from carcasses of eigh t Lynx paradinus (Temminck, 1827), a carnivore endemic to the Iberian Peninsula. These species included: Brachylaima sp. (12.5%) (Trematoda) ; Taenia pisiformis (12.5%), T. polyacantha (25%), T. taeniaeformis (2 5%) and Mesocestoides litteratus (37.5%) (Cestoda); Eucoleus aerophilu s (12.5%), Ancylostoma tubaeforme (12.5%), Toxocara cati (37.5%), Toxa scaris leonina (62.5%), Vigisospirura potekhina potekhina (12.5%), Mas tophorus muris (12.5%) and Physaloptera praeputialis (12.5%) (Nematoda ). The helminth fauna in Iberian lynx is compared with that of L. cana densis and L. rufus in America, and for L. lynx in Eurasia. The potent ial relationships between the parasitological data and some geographic al, historical and dietary factors are discussed.