Some Acanthocephalans from Panama and Colombia1

OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME 39, NUMBER 2, JULY 1972 245

VERNON E. THATCHER AND BKENT B. NICKOL Departamento de Biologia, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia; and Department of Zoology, University of Nebraska

ABSTRACT: Eighteen species of Acanthocephala (in 11 genera) are listed from neotropical Panama and Colombia. Of these species, 10 are new locality records. Additionally, the findings of: Centrorhynchus giganteum in Buteogallus urubitinga and Leucopternis semiplumbea; Oncicola oncicola in Felis wiedii; and Qiiadrigyrus torquatus in Hoplias microlepis represent new host records.

Little is known of the acanthocephalans of recovered from a single collared forest-falcon Panama and Colombia. Only a few reports of obtained near Panama City. these parasites in the area have been published (e.g., Dunn, 1934; Calero et al, 1950; Takos Centrorhynchus tumidulus (Rud., 1819) and Thomas, 1958; Thatcher and Porter, .1968; HOST: Heterospizias meridionalis (Latham) Nickol and Thatcher, 1971). (savanna hawk). The present paper is a list of the acantho- SITE: Lower intestinal tract. cephalans which we have encountered in verte- LOCALITIES: Province of Panama, R. P.; brate hosts during the past 9 years in the Department of Meta, Colombia. two countries. This species was found in one savanna hawk in Panama, and in a hawk of the same species Materials and Methods in eastern Colombia. Four specimens of C. Acanthocephalans were removed from the tumidulus were recovered from each of these intestinal tracts of the hosts by inserting dis- two birds. This parasite has been reported secting needles near the proboscides. They previously from Brazil, Cuba, Uruguay, Vene- were then left in tap water until turgid with zuela, and India. We report the species in the proboscides extruded. They were fixed in Panama and Colombia for the first time. a heated solution of alcohol-formalin—acetic acid (AFA), stained in Mayer's cannalum stain, Centrorhynchus giganteus Travassos, 1921 cleared in methyl salicylate, and mounted in HOSTS: Heterospizias meridionalis (Latham) Canada balsam. (savanna hawk); Buteogallus urubitinga (Gmeliii) (great black hawk); Leucopternis Results and Discussion semiplumbea Lawrence (semiplumbeous Acanthocephala Rudolphi, 1808 hawk). SITE: Lower intestinal tract. Family Centrorhynchidae Van Cleave, 1916 LOCALITIES: Provinces of Panama and Centrorhynchus albidus Meyer, 1932 Colon, R. P. HOST: Micrastur semitorquatus (Vieillot) From four to 42 specimens of this parasite (collared forest-falcon). were recovered from one each of the host SITE: Lower intestinal tract. hawks listed above. In the savanna hawk, C. LOCALITY: Chilibre, Provincia de Panama, giganteus was found in a mixed infection with Panama. R. P. C. tumidulus, and in the great black hawk, Ninety-eight specimens of this species were it was accompanied by Oligacanthorhynchus iheringi. The findings of C. giganteus in the

1 This study was supported in part by the Tulane great black hawk and the semiplumbeous hawk University, International Center for Medical Research and Training, Grant TW-00143 from the Office of represent new host records, and this acantho- International Research, NIH, U. S. Public Health Service, cephalan has not been reported previously and in part by Grant 2919-25 from the Oficina de Investigaciones of the Universidad del Valle, Gali, Colombia. from the Republic of Panama.

Centrorhynchus sp. about 50% and the intensity of infection HOST: Leucopternis princeps (Schlater) ranges from one to about eight worms per (barred hawk). host. SITE: Lower intestinal tract. Prosthenorchis elegans (Diesing, 1851) LOCALITY: Anchicaya, Valle, Colombia. Two specimens of the rare barred hawk were HOST: Saguinus geoffroyi Pucheran (mar- examined, and they contained 2 and 182 speci- moset). mens of an unidentified species of Centro- SITE: Lower intestinal tract. rhynchus, respectively. Because of poor fixa- LOCALITY: Province of Panama, R. P. tion of the parasites, it has not been possible This species was reported in the marmosets to fully identify them, but they appear to of Panama by Thatcher and Porter (1968). represent an undescribed species. They reported seven of 161 marmosets in- fected with one to 12 worms per host. This Family Oligacanthorhynchidae Southwell parasite apparently infects jungle populations and Macfie, 1925 of marmosets at a very low level, but it can become a serious problem in animals that are Oligacanthorhynchus iheringi Travassos, kept in captivity for any length of time. There 1917 can. be no doubt that P. elegans does cause HOST: Buteogallus urubitinga (Gmelin) deaths in marmoset and monkey colonies as (great black hawk). has been pointed out by Takos and Thomas SITE: Lower intestinal tract. (1958). LOCALITY: Pacora, Province of Panama, R. Prosthenorchis lenti Machado, 1950 P. Nine specimens of this species were en- HOST: Saguinus geoffroyi (marmoset). countered in a single great black hawk killed SITE: Lower intestinal tract. near Panama City. These specimens were LOCALITY: Province of Panama, R. P. found in a mixed infection with 42 specimens Three specimens of this species were re- of C. giganteus. This is a new locality record ported from two marmosets in Panama by for the species. Thatcher and Porter (1968). P. lenti is smaller than P. elegans and it lacks the cephalic collar. Hamanniella microcephalus (Rud., 1819) HOST: Didelphis marsupialis L. (common Prosthenorchis luehei Travassos, 1917 opossum); Metachirus nudicaudatus L. (brown- HOST: Nasua narica L. (coatimundi). masked opossum). SITE: Lower intestinal tract. SITE: Lower intestinal tract. LOCALITIES: Provinces of Panama and LOCALITIES: Province of Panama and Colon, Colon, R. P. Panama; Departments of Valle, Cauca, Choco, This species was found in two of two coatis and Meta, Colombia. from Central Panama with infections of 23 and This conspicuous and widespread species 47 worms per host. Chandler (1953) reported is common in the opossums of Panama and a natural infection of Prosthenorchis in a coati Colombia. In Panama the species has been from Mexico. He called his specimens P. collected from both the Pacific and Caribbean spirula accepting the opinion of Dollfus (1938) coasts, and in Colombia we have seen speci- that P. luehei is synonymous with P. spirula. mens from the Pacific coastal lowlands, the Discovery that P. luehei parasitizes Panama- Andean valleys, and the eastern plains area. nian coatis helps bridge the discontinuity in This species has been taken in Colombia from distribution of this species. The fact that sea level to about 6,000 feet in elevation. It P. spirula was not present in Panamanian pri- is probable that H. microcephala occurs mates, including 251 specimens representing throughout both of these countries wherever five species of Cebidae examined by Thatcher the common opossum is able to survive. The and Porter (1968), adds evidence that P. infection rate for the species is about 10 to luehei is a distinct species.

Prosthenorchis procyonis Machado, 1950 Panama, and two were autopsied in Colombia, HOST: Procyon cancrivorus Cuvier (crab- this species was not seen in the present study. eating raccoon). SITE: Lower intestinal tract. Gigantorhynchus ortizi Sarmiento, 1954 LOCALITY: Province of Colon, R. P. HOST: Metachirus nudicaudatus L. (brown- Eight specimens of this species were ob- masked opossum). tained from a single crab-eating raccon in SITE: Lower intestinal tract. Panama. Two juvenile hosts of the same spe- LOCALITIES: Darien Province, R. P.; De- cies were negative for the parasite. This paper partments of Choco, Meta, and Narino, Co- represents the first report of P. procyonis in lombia. Panama. This species was originally described from the brown-masked opossum from Peru. It has Oncicola oncicola (Ihering, 1892) not been reported from any other country. G. ortizi appears to be host specific for M. HOST: Felis onca L. (jaguar); F. iviedii nudicaudatus, and in this host the infection, Gray (margay cat); F. pardalis L. (ocelot). rate approaches 100%. Numerous worms per SITE: Lower intestinal tract. host (20 to 60) are the rule, and in several LOCALITIES: Province of Colon, R. P.; De- of the hosts examined, the intestinal tract partments of Choco and Meta, Colombia. appeared to be nearly occluded by these para- This species was found in three of three sites. jaguars in Panama, one of two ocelots in Colombia, and one of one margay cats in Colombia. The number of worms per host Family Neoechinorhynchidae Van Cleave, ranged from six to more than 100. The present 1919 paper represents a range extension for the Neoechinorhynchus prochilodorum species, and the margay cat is a new host record. Nickol and Thatcher, 1971 HOST: Prochilodus reticulatus Steindachner Macraeanthorhynchus hirudinaceus ("bocachico," small-mouthed fish). (Pallas, 1781) SITE: Intestinal diverticula. LOCALITIES: Sonso Lake and Cauca River HOST: Sus scrofa L. (domestic pig). (at Cali), Valle, Colombia. SITE: Lower intestinal tract. The type locality of this species is the Sonso LOCALITY: Department of Valle, Colombia. Lake, Valle, Colombia. Since the original de- This species is a common parasite of pigs scription, we have found this species in the in Valle, Colombia. Many specimens of the same fish host from the Cauca River. species have been seen, but no special study has been made to determine the infection rate Gorytocephalus plecostomorum or intensity. Nickol and Thatcher, 1971 HOST: PlecostomusplecostomusL,. (armored Family Gigantorhynchidae Hamann, 1892 catfish). G igan torhynchus echinodiscus SITE: Intestinal tract. (Diesing, 1851) LOCALITY: Cardenas River, Province of Pan- ama, R. P. HOST: TamanduatetradactylaL. (anteater). This species has been found only in the SITE: Intestinal tract. type host and in the type locality. Three other LOCALITY: Province of Panama, R. P. genera of armored catfish (Pseudancistrus, Dunn (1934) reported this species from a Chaetostomus, and Sturisorna) were examined captive anteater at the Gorgas Memorial Lab- in Colombia and were found to be negative oratory in Panama City. Although eight ant- for acanthocephalans. G. plecostomorum may eaters of the same species were examined in well be of limited distribution.

Family Quadrigyridae Van Cleave, 1920 tion rate of 18.4% for this species in the rats Quadrigyrus torquatus Van Cleave, 1920 of Costa Rica. HOST: Hoplias microlepis (Giinther) (dog- Literature Cited fish). Calero M., C., P. Ortiz O., and L. de Sousa. SITE: Intestinal tract. 1950. Helminths in rats from Panama City LOCALITY: Juan Mina, Chagres River, Pan- and suburbs. J. Parasit. 36: 426. ama Canal Zone. Chandler, A. C. 1953. An outbreak of Pros- Four specimens of this species were obtained thenorchis (Acanthocephala) infection in pri- from a single dogfish from the Chagres River mates in the Houston Zoological Garden, and a report of this parasite in Nasua narica in in Central Panama. Q. torquatus was described Mexico. J. Parasit. 39: 226. from Venezuela, and has been reported from Dollfus, R. Ph. 1938. Etude morphologique et Surinam (Ortlepp, 1924). The present paper systematique de deux especies d'Acantho- presents new host and locality records for cephales, parasites de lemuriens et de singes. the species. Revue critique du genre Prosthenorchis Travassos. Ann. Parasit. 16: 385^22. Dunn, L. H. 1934. Notes on the occurrence of Family Moniliformidae Van Cleave, 1924 Gigantorhynchus ecliinodiscus Diesing in the anteater of Panama. J. Parasit. 20: 227-229. Moniliformis moniliformis Nickol, B. B., and V. E. Thatcher. 1971. Two (Bremser in Rud., 1819) new acanthocephalans from neotropical fishes: Neoechinorhynchus prochilodorum sp. n. and HOST: Rattus rattus L. (common rat); ac- Gorytocephalus plecostomorum gen. et sp. n. cidentally in Aotus trivirgatus Humboldt (night J. Parasit. 57: 576-581. monkey). Ortlepp, R. J. 1924. On a collection of helminths from Dutch Guiana. T- Helminthol.-2: SITE: Lower intestinal tract. 15-40. LOCALITY: Province of Panama, R. P. Takos, M. J., and L. J. Thomas. 1958. The This species was seen commonly in the rats pathology and pathogenesis of fatal infections of Panama City, and Calero et al. (1950) due to an acanthocephalid parasite of marmoset monkeys. Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 7: 90- reported an infection rate of 16%. A single 94. immature specimen of M. moniliformis was Thatcher, V. E., and J. A. Porter, Jr. 1968. also recovered from the intestinal tract of a Some helminth parasites of Panamanian pri- night monkey in Panama. This specimen has mates. Trans. Am. Microsc. Soc. 87: 186- 196. been reported by Thatcher and Porter (1968), Vives, N., and R. Zeledon. 1957. Observaciones who regarded it as an accidental infection. parasitologicas en ratas de San Jose, Costa Vives and Zeledon (1957) reported an infec- Rica. Rev. Biol. Trop. 5: 173-194.