RELATIONS OF CENTRAL ASIAN TORTOISE (AGRIONEMYS HORSFIELDII) WITH PARASITES IN NATURE

Four species of Protozoa, 17 species of helminths and 6 species of ticks parasitize on the Central Asian tortoise, Agrionemys horsfieldii Gray 1844. Parasitic Protozoa are mainly referred to Sporozoa. Helminths are represented by Nematoda and belong to the orders Oxyurida, Ascaridida, and Spirurida. Most of the nematode species belong to Oxyuridea and Pharyngodonidae. The greatest species diversity of Pharyngodonidae falls on 2 specific Testudinidae genus: Tachygonetria and Mehdiella. Hyalomma aegyptium predominates among ixodid ticks. All ontogenic phases parasitize on Central Asian tortoise, mainly at the stage of imago. The extensiveness of H. aegyptium infection in turtles varies greatly (from 0 to 79%). Four other Ixodidae species parasitize on turtle at the phase of larvae and nymphs. Haemaphysalis sulcata is the first among them by the frequency of occurrence. Among argasids, only Ornithodoros tartakovskyi parasitizes on A. horsfieldii. The pattern of spreading of all the ticks in the tortoise populations is local. Tortoises are most frequently infected with ticks at the foothills. Several tick species can parasitize simultaneously on the same individual. The activity of parasites synchronously coincides with the seasonal activity of A. horsfieldi. The maximum number of parasites falls on late spring and early summer. After hibernation, the infestation of tortoises with parasites is minimal