Ruminal Ciliate (Ciliophora, Trichostomatia) Biota of European Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus) in Kastamonu

Abstract

This study investigated the ruminal ciliate biota of European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) in Kastamonu. Only one species, Entodinium dubardi (Ophryoscolecidae, Trichostomatia), was identified from the ruminal contents of twelve (70.6% prevalence) of seventeen roe deers. Five of seventeen roe deer had no ciliates. E. dubardi was determined for the first time from the ruminal content of roe deer in Türkiye. The average ciliate concentration was 17.5 ± 27.0 × 104 cells mL–1. Min.–max. values ranged from 0 to 87 × 104 cells mL–1.