Case report on helminth parasites of a necropsied Antillean manatee (Trichechus manatus manatus) in Belize.

Sirenians are parasitized by a number of nematodes and trematodes, most which appear to be host specific. Reports of parasitism in the West Indian Manatee, Trichechus manatus, exist for several regions within the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea, but there is a lack of parasitic data existing for the manatee subspecies living in the coastal waters of Belize. Herein, we report the first published record of parasites found in a deceased adult male Antillean manatee, Trichechus manatus manatus, recovered in the Placencia Lagoon, Belize. A thorough necropsy was performed which led to the identification of one nematode species, Heterocheilus tunicatus, and 2 species of trematode, Chiorchis groscofit, and Pulmonicola cochleotrema. The abundance of parasites found here appears to be within healthy limits given previous studies. Although our results are limited, the data provides supplemental information that can assist in-country and regional monitoring efforts for an endangered species.