Helminths’ infestation of various mitochondrial lines of the sable Martes zibellina and the pine marten Martes martes

Abstract

The sable and the pine marten dwelling sympatrically in Western Siberia have similar helminth fauna. Four species of parasitic nematodes Crenosoma petrovi, Filaroides martis, Capillaria putorii, and Strongyloides martis were found in martens of Western Siberia. The pine marten is more infected with nematodes Filaroides martis and Strongyloides martis than sable. The hybrids of the sable and the pine marten have intermediate infestation rates. Using the restriction analysis of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene, nine complex haplotypes of mustelids were identified. Animals from different mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) lines statistically differed in terms of the total helminth infestation. The differences in the nematode infestation of animals with various mtDNA haplotypes indicate that different phyletic lines of the sable, the pine marten, and their hybrids have varying degrees of susceptibility to nematode infestations. Animals with haplotype Z31, typical for the eastern subspecies of sable, were infected with helminths twice as much as the animals from the Z5 and Z30 lines, typical for the local populations of sable and pine marten, respectively. Animals with haplotype AK23, common for hybrids, had the lowest rate of infections by helminths.