Beetles of the Family Scarabaeidae as Intermediate Hosts for Spirocerca lupi

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Abstract
Varying numbers of adult dung beetles (family Scarabaeidae) were repeatedly exposed to large numbers of eggs of Spirocerca lupi in the laboratory. Third-stage larvae were recovered from individuals of sex of nine species exposed for periods of 24 to 42 days. The number of larvae varied from 1 to 143. Geotrupes blackburnii appeared to be the best intermediate host of the beetles studied. This apparently is the first reported instance of the experimental infection of adult dung beetles by the feeding of eggs of Spirocerca lupi. The identifications of the larvae was confirmed by feeding larvae to a dog which had no opportunity for previous exposure. Twelve worms were recovered from the wall of the aorta following the feeding of 18 larvae.