Fossorial water voles as hosts of Sarcocystidae parasites in northern Spain

The dataset provides detailed biological and molecular information for 105 specimens of the fossorial water vole (Arvicola scherman) collected in Asturias (northern Spain) between 2021 and 2022. Each record includes PCR results for brain and heart tissues, indicating the presence or absence of Sarcocystis and Cystoisospora species, along with morphometric data (body mass and length), sex, relative age, and season of capture. The table distinguishes individuals from two municipalities—Cangas del Narcea and Somiedo— sampled across autumn, winter, and spring, allowing the identification of seasonal and age-related patterns of infection. Positive detections of Sarcocystis glareoli, S. strixi, and a novel Cystoisospora species are recorded in specific tissues, supporting the role of A. scherman as an intermediate host within predator–prey transmission cycles in agroecosystems.