浸水營國家步道麝香貓(Viverricula indica)之腸道寄生蟲感染與吞食葉片行為

Intestinal Parasitic Infection and Leaf Swallowing Behavior of Chinese Lesser Civet (Viverricula indica) at Jinshueiying National Trail

李欣穎(Xin-Ying Li)

指導教授 ： 蘇秀慧 ； 董光中

國立屏東科技大學/農學院/野生動物保育研究所/碩士(2015年)

https://doi.org/10.6346/NPUST.2015.00039

摘要

寄生關係為長期且動態的「共演化」，在宿主的行為演化中，寄生蟲的感染有其重要性，其中動物吞食葉片行為，可能是抵禦腸道寄生蟲感染的自我醫療行為。然而關於麝香貓（Viverricula indica）吞食葉片行為的發生與表現所知甚少，因此，本研究對麝香貓進行圈養觀察和浸水營國家步道之野外研究，以期了解腸道寄生蟲感染狀況與排出草褶之相關性。於屏東科技大學野生動物收容中心進行十個月三隻圈養麝香貓之觀察。野外研究於2013年8月至2014年7月，在浸水營國家步道記錄麝香貓排遺有無含草褶及寄生蟲成蟲，並採集新鮮排遺進行腸道寄生蟲分析。在野外共記錄到414個麝香貓排遺，並檢視207個排遺樣本之寄生蟲感染狀況，用於統計與環境因子（月累積雨量、月均溫）之相關性。在腸道寄生蟲分析發現16種腸道寄生蟲，為蛔蟲（Toxocara sp.）、毛細線蟲（Capillaria sp.）、鉤蟲、有線絛蟲（Mesoestoides lineatus）、糞桿線蟲（Strongyloides sp.）和鞭蟲（Trichuris sp.）等。而未知1和未知2蟲卵的出現，顯示寄生蟲卵僅以外形分辨的限制，需更進一步的工具和診斷以確認種類。此外，鉤蟲的平均感染強度和月累積雨量有顯著負相關性，可能與土壤沖刷暫時造成適合環境消失所致。而蛔蟲的平均感染強度和月均溫有顯著正相關性，可能是溫暖潮濕的環境易保存寄生蟲卵於環境中。亦發現圈養麝香貓排遺未檢出寄生蟲卵，但每月皆記錄到排出草褶，顯示無論是否感染腸道寄生蟲，皆表現排出草褶之行為。且排遺中草褶出現與蛔蟲成蟲排出則有顯著相關性，因此推測麝香貓吞食葉片是一項動物已存在的自我醫療行為，可能達到預防與控制寄生蟲感染的效果。

關鍵字

自我醫療 ； 吞食葉片 ； 排出草褶 ； 腸道寄生蟲 ； 麝香貓

並列摘要

Host and parasites coevolve from long-term and dynamic interactions. Infection of parasites is important in shaping the behavioral adaption of host, among which leaf swallowing behavior of carnivore is considered self-medication behavior to defend the infection from intestinal parasites, such as ingestion and defecation of leaves in Chinese lesser civet (Viverricula indica) in Taiwan. This study was aimed to investigate the relationship between the intestinal parasitic infection and leaf swallowing pattern of civets in Jinshueiying National Trail, and 3 captive civets in the Pingtung Rescue Center for Endangered Wild Animals. The occurrence of undigested leaf in feces of the 3 captive civets were recorded for 10 months. Fresh civet feces were collected every month from August 2013 to July 2014 to examine the intensity of parasitic infection and the occurrence of undigested leaves as well as parasite worms. In total, 414 feces sample were inspected, among which 207were collected and analyzed for the parasitic infection, The correlation between parasite infection and monthly mean temperature and rainfall was revealed. 16 species of parasites were detected, including Toxocara sp., Capillaria sp., hookworm, Mesoestoides lineatus, Strongyloides sp. and Trichuris sp. Due to the limitation of identifying parasite species by eggs, 2 group of parasiteeggs still remained unknown. The average infection intensity of hookworms was significantly negatively related to monthly cumulative rainfall, probably caused by landslide effect after rainfall. A significantly positive relationship between average infection intensity of roundworms and average temperature were found, suggesting that suitable temperature may help preserving parasite eggs in feces. Undigested leaves were found in the 3 captive civets’ feces every month, even though no parasite eggs were recovered in feces, suggesting that leaf swallowing behavior is propensity in civets regardless of parasite infection. Furthermore, the occurrence of undigested leaves was significantly associated with the occurrence of the adult roundworm in feces collected in the wild. The results suggest that leaf swallowing by civets is a self-medication behavior, which may help these animals to prevent or control infection by intestinal parasites.

並列關鍵字

self-medication ； leaf swallowing ； defecation undigested leaves ； intestinal parasite ； Viverricula indica

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