Helminths of Foxes and Coyotes in Florida

OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME 51, NUMBER 2, JULY 1984 365 stomach; a second whale contained three speci- We wish to correct an error that was made by mens encysted in the fundic stomach and duo- Forrester et al. (1980, op. cit.) a few years earlier. denum. The nematode, Anisakis typica, consti- Since our work and their work on pygmy killer tutes another new record for this host, though whales was conducted in the same laboratory, not unexpected because this parasite is common we had access to the material collected from their in cetaceans from warm and tropical waters study. Whereas they deposited a few specimens (Davey, 1971, J. Helminthol. 45:51-72). Speci- of Tetrabothrius forsteri from a male whale in mens of A. typica were found in the fore- and the U.S. National Parasite Collection, we dis- fundic stomach in all three whales. Intensities covered a jar containing the 2,328 specimens were similar, with 51, 145, and 166 worms col- from a female whale that also were identified as lected from each whale. Specimens of Trigono- T. forsteri. However, the latter specimens were cotyle sp. also were found in all three whales, and unlike the deposited specimens, but identical to they were the most abundant parasite (6,600, the Trigonocotyle sp. found in our study. Some 7,200, and 14,500 estimated total worms from of these specimens have been added to the USNM each whale via dilution count procedure). They Helminthological Collection (No. 77679). mostly were concentrated in the first 4 m of the We gratefully acknowledge Daniel K. Odell of intestine (av. total length approx. 15 m). Not only the University of Miami for obtaining the gas- is the discovery of Trigonocotyle sp. in pygmy trointestinal tracts in addition to supplying per- killer whales reported for the first time, but it tinent data. Florida Agricultural Experiment Sta- appears that the specimens also may represent tions Journal Series No. 4361. an undescribed species.

Proc. Helminthol. Soc. Wash. 51(2), 1984, pp. 365-367

Research Note Helminths of Foxes and Coyotes in Florida

JOSEPH A. CONTI Laboratory of Wildlife Disease Research, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32610

Twenty-six gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargen- Maryland and given the accession numbers teus), four red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), and three 77800-77823. coyotes (Canis latrans) were collected from 1972 Table 1 shows the site, prevalence, and inten- to 1981. Most were road-kills, but a few were sity for each species of helminth. Mean, median, shot or live-trapped. Most of the foxes (21 gray, and range values are presented for intensity. 2 red) were collected in Alachua County in north- Twenty-two species were found including 13 central Florida; the remaining were from five Nematoda, 4 Acanthocephala, 4 Cestoda, and 1 other counties in the central part of the state. Trematoda. The number of helminth species per Two coyotes were from northwestern Florida infected host varied from 1 to 7 (mean 4, median (Escambia and Gadsden counties); the third coy- 3) with one gray fox free of helminths. The total ote was collected in central Florida (Lake Coun- number of helminths per infected animal ranged ty). The animals were frozen and later examined from 3 to 302 (mean 50, median 23). The greatest at necropsy. Necropsy techniques for the recov- number of any single species of helminth oc- ery and identification of parasites followed the curred in two gray foxes, both of which harbored procedures as described by Kinsella and Forres- over 200 specimens ofMolineus barbatus in their ter (1972, Proc. Helminthol. Soc. Wash. 39:173- small intestine. This trichostrongyloid was the 176). Voucher specimens were deposited in the most prevalent parasite. It occurred in 73% of U.S. National Parasite Collection in Beltsville, the animals examined, and comprised 41% of

Table 1. Location, prevalence, and intensity of helminths of gray foxes, red foxes, and coyotes in Florida, 1972- 1981.

% Prevalence (intensity, mean; median; range)* Gray fox Red fox Coyote Parasite N=26 N=4 N=3

Trematoda Alaria rnarcianae (3)f 19(27; 37; 1-55) 0 33 (2; 2; 2) Cestoda Taenia pisiformis (3) 4 (3; 3; 3) 0 67(13; 13; 1-24) Taenia sp. (3)t 8 (2; 2; 1-2) 0 33 (8; 8; 8) Taenia sp. (3)§ 0 25(1; 1; 1) 0 Mesocestoides sp. (3)|| 12(3; 1; 1-8) 0 0 Spirometra mansonoides (3) 4(1; 1; 1) 0 0 Acanthocephala# Unidentified (3) 4(1; 1; 1) 0 33(1; 1; 1) Centrorhynchus wardae (3) 4(1; 1; 1) 0 0 Pachysentis canicola (3) 4(1; 1; 1) 0 0 Moniliformis moniliformis (3) 4 (8; 8; 8) 0 0 Nematoda Molineus barbatus (3, 5) 77 (30; 7; 1-224) 75 (5; 5; 1-9) 33 (49; 49; 49) Physaloptera rara (1, 2, 3) 69(11; 10; 1-49) 50(27; 27; 13-40) 33(25; 25; 25) Ancylostoma tubaeforme (3) 77(11; 5; 1-48) 50(10; 10; 5-14) 0 Trichuris vulpis (4, 5) 23 (9; 2; 1-43) 50 (4; 4; 2-6) 67(11; 11; 9-12) Spirurid larvae (1) 15(6; 1; 1-19) 25(14; 14; 14) 0 Spirocerca lupi ( 1 ) 12(1; 1; 1) 25 (2; 2; 2) 0 Dirofilaria immitis (6) 8 (3; 3; 1-5) 25(1; 1; 1) 33 (9; 9; 9) Capillaria aerophila (7) 4 (2; 2; 2) 50 (2; 2; 1-2) 33(1; 1; 1) Ancylostoma caninum (3) 4 (6; 6; 6) 25 (4; 4; 4) 33 (2; 2; 2) Ancylostoma braziliense (3) 4 (4; 4; 4) 0 0 Capillaria plica (8) 0 0 33 (2; 2; 2) Strongyloides stercoralis (3) 4(71; 71; 71) 0 0 Anafilaroides pararostratus (7) 0 25 (2; 2; 2) 0 Toxocara canis (3) 0 25 (3; 3; 3) 0

* Intensity = number of worms/infected animal; values >0.5 were rounded to next highest integer. f Numbers in parentheses indicate site in host: (1) esophagus; (2) stomach; (3) small intestine; (4) cecum; (5) large intestine; (6) heart; (7) lungs; (8) urinary bladder. | Hooks on scolices unsuitable for definitive species identification; specimens closely resemble T. macrocystis. § No scolices, only few unidentifiable segments available. || Unidentified to species because of the uncertain taxonomic status of members of this genus. # All specimens were immature, and none had fully evaginated proboscises. The unidentified specimens belonged to either the genus Oncicola or Macracanthorhynchus. the total number of parasites. Ancylostoma tu- hookworm of felids, but foxes and cats ingest baeforme and Physaloptera rara were the next similar prey including small rodents such as the most prevalent helminths (both 67%), and they cotton rat (Sigmodon hispidus) that may serve comprised 15% and 17%, respectively, of the to- as paratenic hosts (Norris, 1971, J. Parasitol. 57: tal number of parasites. Although prevalent, the 998-1009). Wild rodents commonly preyed upon mean intensities for M. barbatus, A. tubaeforme, by foxes in Florida may be better adapted as and P. rara in the 26 gray foxes examined were paratenic hosts for A. tubaeforme than either A. not high (30, 11, and 11, respectively). The re- braziliense or A. caninum, the two hookworms maining helminths occurred infrequently and less commonly found in foxes in this study. Al- usually in low numbers (Table 1). ternately, the high occurrence of A. tubaeforme The presence and high prevalence of A. tu- may result from greater contact of foxes (or par- baeforme in both the gray and red foxes was most atenic hosts) with wild felids such as bobcats unusual. This species is generally considered a (Felis rufus) or feral cats (Felis domesticus) than

with feral dogs (Canis familiaris) or coyotes, the 1947, J. Parasitol. 33:23-24), and 38% of 24 fox- latter of which are rare in Alachua County. By es in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Geor- contrast, a high prevalence (71%) of hookworms gia (Miller and Harkema, 1968, op. cit.). That identified as A. caninum was reported from gray only 12% of the gray foxes in Florida were in- foxes in other southeastern states (Miller and fected with Taenia spp. (T. pisiformis and a Harkema, 1968, Proc. Helminthol. Soc. Wash. species resembling T. macrocystis) suggests that 35:118-125). gray foxes in this area do not prey as heavily Two gray foxes, one red fox, and one coyote upon rabbits as in other localities. However, fox- were infected with the heartworm, Dirofilaria es are omnivores that probably exhibit variations immitis. Only female heartworms from the coy- in their parasitic faunas as a result of the seasonal ote contained microfilariae. The overall preva- and geographical availability of certain food lence (12%) was typical of the findings of many items, especially intermediate hosts (Dyer and other studies on wild canid populations (Sim- Klimstra, 1982, op. cit.). Data from a small sur- mons et al., 1980, J. Wildl. Dis. 16:225-228). vey such as this should be interpreted with cau- The role of foxes and coyotes in the epizootiology tion in the absence of better seasonal and geo- of dirofilariasis is uncertain. Simmons et al. (1980, graphical data. op. cit.) stated that wild canids should not be Appreciation is expressed to P. P. Humphrey, considered as reservoir hosts for heartworms be- G. W. Foster, and R. M. Anderson for examining cause some studies have shown that populations foxes and coyotes. Special thanks are due B. B. of foxes with a low occurrence of heartworms Nickol for identifying the Acanthocephala, R. L. exist in areas where heartworms are prevalent in Rausch for identifying the species of Taenia, J. local dog populations. Although this may be true R. Lichtenfels for assistance with the species of for foxes, coyotes appear to be quite suitable as Ancylostoma, and D. J. Forrester, C. H. Court- potential reservoir hosts of canine heartworm as ney, E. C. Greiner, and M. D. Young for their reported by Weinmann and Garcia (1980, J. helpful suggestions in the preparation of this note. Wildl. Dis. 16:217-221). Supported in part by grants number 977-G, 1270, Taenia pisiformis appears to be a common hel- and 1270-G from the Florida Game and Fresh minth of gray foxes, reported from 70% of 543 Water Fish Commission. A contribution of Fed- foxes in Illinois (Dyer and Klimstra, 1982, Trans. eral Aid to Wildlife Restoration, Florida Pitt- 111. State Acad. Sci. 75:289-295), 57% of 112 man-Robertson Project W-41. Florida Agricul- foxes in Texas (Buechner, 1944, J. Mammal. 25: tural Experiment Stations Journal Series No. 185-188), 88% of 17 foxes in Mississippi (Ward, 4776.

Proc. Helminthol. Soc. Wash. 51(2), 1984, pp. 367-369

Research Note Helminth Parasites of Anolis carolinensis (Reptilia: Lacertilia) from Southeastern Louisiana

DAVID BRUCE CONN AND FRANK J. ETGES Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio 45221

The green anole, Anolis carolinensis, is a com- Between November 1981 and October 1983, mon iguanid lizard throughout the southeastern 543 anoles (398 $, 145 $) vere examined for para- United States. As a diurnal, primarily arboreal sitic helminths. Anoles were hand-collected at species, it feeds mostly on insects and other ar- night by flashlight within a 20-mi radius of La thropods (Schmidt and Inger, 1957, Living Rep- Place, Louisiana and shipped the next day by air tiles of the World. Hanover House, Garden City, freight to our laboratory (pers. comm., The Snake New York. 287 pp.). Farm, La Place, Louisiana 70068). The snout-