Differences in prevalence and abundance of S. microcephalus in
exotic turtles between sites may reflect differences in the diet of
turtles. Adults of T. s. elegans and other Emydid species are mainly
herbivorous (Moll and Legler, 1971; Parmenter and Avery, 1990;
Esch et al., 1993; Dreslik, 1999) and herbivorism favours infection
by species with indirect life cycles due to accidental ingestion of
intermediate or paratenic hosts, as copepods or other crustaceans.
S. microcephalus is associated with the vegetation on which the turtles
feed (Esch et al., 1993).