Research associate (Parasitological Research)
Schönbrunn Zoo 

Abstract

Apart from the routine parasitological diagnostics of the animal population, the Parasitology Lab of the Vienna Zoo has established a research line focusing on neglected endo- and ectoparasitoses in wildlife, employing both ex-situ (in the zoo) and in-situ (in the wild) approaches. In this presentation, a brief overview of our research will be provided, with a main focus on our current FWF-funded project investigating mesostigmatid mites of the genera Halarachne and Orthohalarachne, obligate endoparasites residing in the respiratory tract of pinnipeds. We aim to develop novel non-invasive diagnostic methods, explore their pathogenic effects (on host health), and study their morphological adaptations to a life inside a semiaquatic host.