Parasites of domestic and wild animals in South Africa. IX. Helminths in blesbok.

Four blesbok culled in the Rietvlei Nature Reserve during May 1972 were each infested with Trichostrongylus axei and Impalaia nudicollis. Some of these animals also harboured Haemonchus bedfordi, Haemonchus contortus, Trichostrongylus falculatus, Skrjabinema alata and Avitellina centripunctata. Thirty-two blesbok were culled in pairs at approximately 4-5 week-intervals in the Percy Fyfe Nature Reserve from July 1972 to November 1973. Adult H. contortus were recovered in fair numbers from buck slaughtered from August 1972 to February 1973 and during November 1973. Peak numbers of 4th stage larvae were recovered from individual animals slaughtered during October 1972, February and March, and July to October 1973. Peak burdens of T. falculatus were recovered during October to December 1972 and November 1973. The largest numbers of adult I. nudicollis were recorded from January to July and during September 1973. Other helminths recovered were T. axei, S. alata and A. centripunctata. Avitellina centripunctata, H. bedfordi and S. alata are new records for the blesbok.