Gastric lesions in free-ranging black caimans (Melanosuchus niger) associated with Brevimulticaecum species.

The stomachs of 100 free-ranging black caimans (Melanosuchus niger Spix, 1825) from the Mamirauá Sustainable Development Reserve, Amazonas state, Brazil, were examined for parasitism and pathologic lesions. All animals were harvested for human consumption. Ascaridoid nematodes were found in 67 caimans and were identified as Brevimulticaecum sp. These parasites were associated with focally extensive, chronic gastric ulcers and formation of localized intramural granulomas containing nematodes. All caiman were in good nutritional condition, which suggests that effects of gastric nematodiasis on the crocodilian hosts were minimal at the time of slaughter.