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Faculty Publications from the Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology Parasitology, Harold W. Manter Laboratory of

8-1990

Cysticerci (: Taeniidae) from White-Tailed Deer, Odocoileus virginianus, in Southern Florida [Research Notes]

Donald J. Forrester University of Florida

Robert L. Rausch University of Washington, [email protected]

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Forrester, Donald J. and Rausch, Robert L., "Cysticerci (Cestoda: Taeniidae) from White-Tailed Deer, Odocoileus virginianus, in Southern Florida [Research Notes]" (1990). Faculty Publications from the Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology. 380. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/parasitologyfacpubs/380

This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Parasitology, Harold W. Manter Laboratory of at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faculty Publications from the Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Forrester & Rausch in Journal of Parasitology (1990) 76. Copyright 1990, American Society of Parasitologists. Used by permission.

RESEARCH NOTES 583

J. Parasilol.• 76(4), 1990, p. 583-585 @ American Society of Parasitologists 1990

Cysticerci (Cestoda: Taeniidae) from White-tailed Deer, Odocoileus virginianus, in Southern Florida

Donald J. Forrester and Robert L. Rausch', Department of Infectious Diseases. College of Veterinary Medicine. University of Rorida. Gainesville, Rorida 32611; and 'Department of Comparative Medicine SB-42, School of Medicine. University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195

ABSTRACT: Metacestodes (cysticerci) of omis­ wood, 1971). Data on the prevalence of larval sa LUhe, 1910, and Pallas, 1776, cestodes and intensities ofinfection are reported were found in 9 and I of 124 white-tailed deer, re­ spectively, in southern Florida in 1984-1986. Inten­ here for a series ofdeer examined for helminths sities of T. omissa varied from I to 15 (x = 4.6); only in southern Horida. I cysticercus of T. hydatigena was collected. No sig­ Necropsies were performed on 124 deer be­ nificant difference in the prevalences of T. omissa ac­ tween August 1984 and October 1986. The an­ cording to sex, age, or locality was observed. imals originated from the Big Cypress National Preserve (BCNP) and the Fakahatchee Strand Larval cestodes (metacestodes) of 3 species, State Preserve (FSSP) in Collier County, south­ Taenia hydatigena Pallas, 1776, Taenia omissa ern Horida, as follows: August-September, n = Luhe, 1910, and granulosus 25; October, n = 40; March, n = 33; and June, (Batsch, 1786), have been reported from white­ n = 26. They were taken from 2 areas within tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus (Zimmer­ BCNP (Bear Island, n = 60; and Raccoon Point, mann), in North America (Foreyt, 1981; Stubble­ n = 57) and from FSSP (n = 7). The series con­ field et aI., 1987). Only 1 ofthese, T. hydatigena, sisted of 22 fawns « 1 yr of age), 25 yearlings has been found thus far in deer in Horida (Prest- (1-2 yr), and 77 adults (>2 yr). The larval ces- Forrester & Rausch in Journal of Parasitology (1990) 76. Copyright 1990, American Society of Parasitologists. Used by permission.

584 THE JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY, VOL. 76, NO.4, AUGUST 1990

TABLE I. Prevalence and intensities of cysticerci of Taenia omissa in white-tailed deer from southern Hor­ ida, 1984-1986.

Number ofdeer Intensities Exam- Area ined Infected % Mean Range

Raccoon Point· 57 5 9 7.4 1-15 Bear Island· 60 3 5 1.0 I Fakahatchee Strandt 7 I 14 1.0 I Totals 124 9 4.6 1-15

• Big Cypress National Preserve. t Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve.

todes were fixed and preserved in Roudabush solution (AFA), stained in acetic carmine ac­ cording to standard methods, and cleared with terpineol. After clearing, the rostellum of each cysticercus was removed and mounted separate­ FIGURE I. Rostellar hooks ofcysticercus of Taenia omissa from a white-tailed deer from southern Horida. ly, with application of enough pressure to the Scale has a value of 150 I-tm. coverglass to cause the hooks to lie fiat. The hooks were measured at 400 x with the aid ofan ocular micrometer. Data on prevalence were analyzed hooks were similar in size to those of T. omissa with the proprietary computer program SAS by from cougars, Felis concolor Linnaeus, in north­ using PROC FREQ with the CHISQ option in eastern Oregon (large hooks, 232-254 J.tm in the TABLES statement to perform Fisher's exact length [x = 244 J.tm]; small hooks, 183-210 J.tm test (2-tail) (Anonymous, 1985). Significance was [x = 192.5 J.tmD (Rausch, 1981). Some regional taken at P < 0.05. variation in lengths of rostellar hooks is typical Cysticerci of T. omissa were found in 9 ofthe ofTaenia spp. Two slides ofcysticerci have been 124 deer (Table I). Forty of the 41 specimens deposited in the U.S. National Parasite Collec­ were attached to mediastinal tissues within the tion, Beltsville, Maryland, No. 80961. thoracic cavity, near the sternum; I was attached The larval stage ofT. omissa has been reported to the pericardium. The dimensions of the cys­ from white-tailed deer in Texas (Stubblefield et ticerci enclosed within the pericyst ranged from aI., 1987), but this is the first report from Florida. 8 x 6 x 4 to 12 x 9 x 7 mm (x = 9.8 x 7.3 x Prevalences in Texas were much higher (29-40%) 5.1 mm). Infected deer were obtained from all 3 than in Florida (5-14%), perhaps related to a areas and ranged in age from 1.5 to 5.5 yr (x = lower density ofcougars (=Florida panthers) in 3.5 yr). Differences in prevalence according to the latter state. Adults of T. omissa have been sex, age, or geographic origin of the hosts were found in cougars of various subspecies (Rausch not significant. A single cysticercus of T. hydati­ et aI., 1983; Waid and Pence, 1988) and may be gena was found attached to the omentum in a considered a core species in that felid. In Florida, 4-yr-old female from Raccoon Point. The intact strobilae were found in 4 of 7 Florida panthers, specimen within the pericyst measured 16.5 x Felis concolor coryi Bangs, examined by Forres­ 14 x 12 mm; it was larger than any ofthe spec­ ter et al. (1985). imens of T. omissa. For the single specimen of T. hydatigena ob­ The rostellar hooks of T. omissa from white­ tained, the rostellar hooks were typical. The large tailed deer in Florida were oftypical shape (Fig. hooks measured 200-202 J.tm in length; small I), as compared with material from other geo­ hooks, 132-141 J.tm. A slide containing the ros­ graphic regions. Fifty each of large and small tellar hooks ofthe cysticercus has been deposited hooks were measured. The large hooks ranged in the U.S. National Parasite Collection, Belts­ from 239 to 266 J.tm in length, with a mean of ville, Maryland, No. 80962. 249.8 J.tm, and a mode of 251 J.tm; small hooks Cysticerci of T. hydatigena have been found ranged from 190 to 219 J.tm in length, with a occasionally in small numbersin white-tailed deer mean of 201.2 J.tm, and a mode of 195 J.tm. The in the southeastern United States (Prestwood, Forrester & Rausch in Journal of Parasitology (1990) 76. Copyright 1990, American Society of Parasitologists. Used by permission.

RESEARCH NOTES 585

1971). In Florida, they have been recorded pre­ ANONYMOUS. 1985. SAS user's guide: Statistics, Ver­ viously, but only in deer from Walton and Leon sion 5. SAS Institute, Inc., Cary, North Carolina, counties in the northern part of the state (un­ 956 p. FOREYT, W. J. 1981. Trematodes and cestodes. In published records of the Southeastern Cooper­ Diseases and parasites ofwhite-tailed deer, W. R. ative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Davidson, F. A. Hayes, V. F. Nettles, and F. E. Georgia, Athens, 1967-1969, 1984). Under con­ Kellogg (eds.). Tall Timbers Research Station, Tal­ ditions existing in Florida, domestic dogs prob­ lahassee, Florida, Miscellaneous Publication Number 7, p. 237-265. hydatigena ably serve as final hosts of T. (Ad­ FORRESTER, D. J., J. A. CONTI, AND R. C. BELDEN. dison et aI., 1988). 1985. Parasites ofthe Florida panther (Felis con­ The assistance of J. W. McCown and other color coryi). Proceedings of the Helminthological personnel ofthe Florida Game and Fresh Water Society of Washington 52: 95-97. Fish Commission in the collection ofthe deer is PRESTWOOD, A. K. 1971. Cestodes ofthe white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in the southeastern gratefully acknowledged. Appreciation is ex­ United States. Journal of Parasitology 57: 1292. pressed also to M. E. Roelke and J. H. Bogue for RAUSCH, R. L. 1981. Morphological and biological technical assistance, and to R. C. Littell and A. characteristics ofTaenia rileyi Loewen, 1929 (Ces­ Y. Hermosilla for help with the statistical anal­ toda: Taeniidae). Canadian Journal ofZoology 59: 653-666. yses. This work was supported in part by a con­ --, C. MASER, AND E. P. HOBERG. 1983. Gas­ tract with the Florida Game and Fresh Water trointestinal helminths of the cougar, Felis con­ Fish Commission, and is a contribution ofFed­ color L., in northeastern Oregon. Journal ofWild­ eral Aid to Wildlife Restoration, Florida Pitt­ life Diseases 19: 14-19. man-Robertson Project W-41. Florida Agricul­ STUBBLEFIELD, S. S., D. B. PENCE, AND R. J. WARREN. 1987. Visceral helminth communities of sym­ tural Experiment Stations Journal Series No. patrie mule and white-tailed deer from the Davis R-00374. Mountains ofTexas. Journal ofWildlife Diseases 23: 113-120. LITERATURE CITED WAID, D. D., AND D. B. PENCE. 1988. Helminths of ADDISON, E. M., J. HOEVE, D. G. JOACHIM, AND D. J. mountain lions (Felis concolor) from southwestern McLACHLIN. 1988. Fascioloides magna (Trem­ Texas, with a redescription of Cylicospirura sub­ atoda) and Taenia hydatigena (Cestoda) from equalis (Molin, 1860) Vevers, 1922. Canadian white-tailed deer. Canadian Journal ofZoology 66: Journal of Zoology 66: 2110-2117. 1359-1364.