Resumen. Aunque algunos estudios han identificado parásitos en tortugas verdes (Chelonia mydas), poco se sabe sobre la morfología de los huevos de helmintos en las heces de estos animales. El objetivo de este estudio fue caracterizar morfológicamente huevos de helmintos recuperados en exámenes coproparasitológicos por sedimentación y analizar su relación con especies de helmintos recuperados durante la necropsia de ejemplares juveniles de C. mydas. Se encontraron e identificaron 4 morfotipos de huevos distintos, clasificados como trematodos digenéticos de las familias Microscaphidiidae, Cladorchiidae y Spirorchiidae. Hubo diversidad morfológica en el tamaño de los huevos medidos directamente en los parásitos adultos, con tamaños que variaron de 19.07 a 99.28 μm de largo y 11.35 a 45.66 μm de ancho. La observación de huevos en exámenes coproparasitológicos es importante para el estudio de la ecología de los parásitos de las tortugas marinas, ya que el ciclo de vida de algunas especies aún no es completamente entendido.

Abstract. Although some studies have identified parasites in green turtles (Chelonia mydas), little is known about the morphology of helminth eggs in the feces of these animals. The aim of this study was to morphologically characterize helminth eggs recovered in coproparasitological exams by sedimentation and to analyze their relationship with helminth species recovered during necropsy of juvenile specimens of C. mydas. Four different egg morphotypes were found, identified, and classified as digenetic trematodes of the families Microscaphidiidae, Cladorchiidae, and Spirorchiidae. There was morphological diversity in the size of the eggs measured directly in adult parasites, with sizes ranging from 19.07 to 99.28 μm in length and from 11.35 to 45.66 μm in width. The observation of eggs on coproparasitological exams is important for studying the ecology of sea turtle parasites, since the life cycle of some species is not yet fully understood.

Resumo Sessenta e duas amostras fecais de capivaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris), coletadas em oito unidades de conservação (UCs) no estado do Espírito Santo, Brasil, foram avaliadas quanto à presença de ovos de Fasciola hepatica por método de sedimentação. Ovos foram encontrados em 37,1% (23/62) das amostras, abrangendo seis UCs (75%), três UCs, localizadas na região sul do Estado, e outras três na região metropolitana da capital Vitória. A identificação dos ovos de F. hepatica coletados nas amostras fecais foi baseada na morfologia e confirmada por métodos moleculares. Os resultados sugerem que as capivaras podem servir como hospedeiros reservatórios selvagens para F. hepatica, possivelmente contribuindo para a epidemiologia e a expansão geográfica deste parasito zoonótico em sua vasta distribuição na América do Sul.

Abstract Sixty-two fecal samples of capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) living in eight conservation units (CUs) across the state of Espírito Santo, southeastern Brazil, were assessed for the presence of eggs of liver flukes via sedimentation. Fasciola hepatica eggs were found in 37.1% (23/62) of the samples. Positive samples were found in six CUs (75%), three CUs located in the southern region of the state and three others in the metropolitan region of the capital city of Vitória. Identification of Fasciola hepatica eggs collected from capybara fecal samples were based on morphology, and confirmed using molecular methods. Our results suggest that capybaras may serve as a wild reservoir host for F. hepatica, possibly contributing to the epidemiology and geographic range expansion of this zoonotic parasite across its vast range of distribution in South America.