Helminth community structure in tadpoles of northern leopard frogs (Rana pipiens) and Woodhouse's toads (Bufo woodhousii) from Nebraska

Parasitology Research
Heather R Rhoden, Matthew G Bolek

Abstract

Currently, little information is available on helminth community structure in tadpoles, the ephemeral, feeding, non-reproductive larva stages of anurans. We examined the helminth community structure in tadpoles of northern leopard frogs, Rana pipiens, and Woodhouse's toads, Bufo woodhousii, from a first-order stream in Western Nebraska. Specifically, we were interested in how species-specific difference in size, time to metamorphosis, and habitat partitioning among larval anurans affect their helminth community structure. From June-July 2009, we collected 30 tadpoles of northern leopard frogs, R. pipiens, and 50 tadpoles of Woodhouse's toads, B. woodhousii, from Cedar Creek, Keith County, NE, USA. The compound helminth community was dominated by trematode metacercarial stages (echinostomatids and plagiorchids) and the nematode Gyrinicola batrachiensis with only a single non-gravid adult trematode, Gorgoderina attenuata, present in low numbers. The helminth component communities were depauperate and isolationist in nature, with a maximum of four helminth species/types per component community. Although no species-specific helminth infections were observed, clear differences were found in overall abundance of nematode versus trema...Continue Reading

References

Apr 1, 1990·The Journal of Experimental Zoology·S K Sessions, S B Ruth
Sep 10, 1999·International Journal for Parasitology·D P Barton
Sep 26, 2008·Parasite : Journal De La Société Française De Parasitologie·M G Bolek, J Janovy
Dec 3, 2008·The Journal of Parasitology·M I Hamann, C E González
May 18, 2010·The Journal of Parasitology·Manja P Holland

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