On Some Helminth Parasites of the Otter,Lutra lutra

Abstract

Four species of helminths, two Trematoda and two Cestoda, were collected post-mortem from an otter (Lutra lutra) killed in the suburbs of Edinburgh.Plagiorchis (Multiglandularis) lutraen. sp. was recovered from the small intestine. This is the first record ofPlagiorchissp. from an otter.Cryptocotyle lingua(Creplin, 1825), 38 specimens, was recovered from the anterior and middle thirds of the small intestine. This is the first record ofC. linguafrom an otter.Dibothriocephalus mediusn. sp., a single specimen, was recovered from the small intestine. This is the first record ofDibothriocephalussp. from an otter.Schistocephalus solidus(Muller, 1776), four specimens, was recovered from the small intestine. This is the second record ofSchistocephalussp. from an otter and the first record of its occurrence in this host in Britain.