Helminth Parasites of the Three Racerunner Lizards: Eremias pleskei Nikolsky, 1905 (Pleske’s Racerunner-Transcaucasian Racerunner), Eremias strauchi Kessler, 1878 (Strauch’s Racerunner) and Eremias suphani Basoglu & Hellmich, 1968 (Suphan Racerunner) collected from Eastern Part of Turkey

Abstract

Abstract In this investigation, a total of 44 racerunner lizard samples (Eremias pleskei, Eremias strauchi, and Eremias suphani) collected from eastern part of Turkey were examined for the first time for helminths. Eremias pleskei was harboured 1 species of acanthocepalan (in cystacanth stage), E. strauchi was harboured 2 species of nematodes, and E. suphani was harboured 3 species of nematodes and 1 species of cestode. E. strauchi represents a new host record for Spauligodon eremiasi, and Spauligodon saxicolae E. suphani represents a new host record for Spauligodon eremiasi, S. saxicolae, Physaloptera sp., and Oochoristica tuberculata, and also, E. pleskei represents a new host record for unidentified acanthocepalan (in cystacanth stage). Also, Turkey is a new locality record for Spauligodon eremiasi.