ABSTRACT
Free-ranging reptiles are infected or infested with a great diversity of endo- and ectoparasites, respectively. Considering the number of papers published, relatively few reports link parasite intensities with morbidity or mortality events in wild reptiles. The amoebae of medical importance remain uncategorized as to phylum and class. Transmission studies in the American (Green) Anole (Anolis carolinensis) indicated they were not susceptible to infection. In spontaneous and experimental studies in snakes, the gastrointestinal tract and liver are generally the sites of infection. The phyla Parabasalia and Euglenozoa contain numerous species of flagellates; many have been identified in reptiles. The most significant genera include Trypanosoma and Leishmania, Hexamita, and Trichomonas, Tritrichomonas, and Monocercomonas. Monocercomonas is commonly seen in the gastrointestinal tract of snakes, including sea snakes. The most clinically important nonhemoparasitic members of the phylum Apicomplexa infecting reptiles include the genera Eimeria , Isospora , Caryospora , and Cryptosporidium.
