THE ROLE OF MOUSE-LIKE RODENTS IN THE CIRCULATION OF TAENIID CESTODES (CESTODA, TAENIIDAE) IN NATURAL BIOCENOSES

The species diversity was presented for larval forms of taeniid cestodes (Cestoda, Taeniidae) from mouse-like rodents in natural biocenoses of the Voronezh State Nature Biosphere Reserve (Central Black Earth Region). Adult cestode forms parasitize wild and domestic animals of the families Canidae, Felidae, and Mustelidae. The studies were conducted as part of environmental monitoring in 2000–2024. We recorded 7 species of cestode larval forms in mouse-like rodents. Low infection rates were recorded for the infection prevalence (IP) and abundance index (AI) for most rodent species. We recorded Taenia hydatigena (larvae) in the red-backed vole and the common vole (IP, 0.1–0.8%; AI, 0.01–0.08 specimens); T. pisiformis (larvae) and T. mustelae (larvae) only in red voles (IP, 0.1–1.1; AI, 0.01 specimens); Tetratirotaenia polyacantha (larvae) in the red vole and the yellow-necked mouse (IP, 0.3–2.2; AI, 0.3 specimens); and T. crassiceps (larvae) was recorded in the striped field mouse (IP, 0.93; AI, 0.89 specimens). T. martis (larvae) was recorded in the red-backed vole, the pygmy wood mouse, the striped field mouse, and the yellow-necked mouse (IP, 0.6–2.7; AI, 0.5–1.5 specimens). Adult forms of this cestode parasitize Mustelidae. H. taeniaformis larval cysts were found in all rodent species. The striped field mouse, the pygmy wood mouse, and the yellow-necked mouse make the major contribution to the life cycle (IP, 11.2–15.8; AI, 0.2 specimens). The house mouse is rare in natural biocenoses but the infection rate of H. taeniaformis (larvae) was high (IP, 15.5; AI, 0.1–0.2 specimens). The definitive host of this cestode is the fox in natural ecosystems, and the domestic cat in contiguous lands. Most of the recorded species of larval forms of taeniid cestodes were of epidemiological and epizootological significance.