Nematode Parasites of the Many-Ribbed Salamander, Eurycea Multiplicata (Caudata: Plethodontidae), from Arkansas and Oklahoma

Nematode Parasites of the Many-Ribbed Salamander, Eurycea Multiplicata (Caudata: Plethodontidae), from Arkansas and Oklahoma

69 Nematode Parasites of the Many-Ribbed Salamander, Eurycea multiplicata (Caudata: Plethodontidae), from Arkansas and Oklahoma Chris T. McAllister Science and Mathematics Division, Eastern Oklahoma State College, 2805 NE Lincoln Road, Idabel, OK 74745 Charles R. Bursey Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University-Shenango Campus, 147 Shenango Avenue, Sharon, PA 16146-1537 Michael A. Steffen Department of Biological Sciences, University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK 74104 Sixty-six many-ribbed salamanders (Eurycea multiplicata) were collected from 11 localities in seven counties of Arkansas and four sites in three counties of Oklahoma and examined for helminth parasites. Seven (10.6%) were infected with nematodes, including three (4.5%) with Desmognathinema nantahalaensis, one (1.5%) with Omeia papillocauda, and three (4.5%) with Cosmocercoides sp. This is the first time helminths have been reported from Eurycea multiplicata. We report three new host and a new geographic locality for endoparasites of Eurycea multiplicata.© 2010 Oklahoma Academy of Science. INTRODUCTION Nickol (1978), and McAllister et al. (1995b) reported on parasites of related gray-belly The many-ribbed salamander (Eurycea mul- salamanders, Eurycea multiplicata griseogaster tiplicata) is a small plethodontid that ranges collected from various counties north of the south of the Arkansas River and throughout Arkansas River; however, Eurycea multiplica- the Ouachita Mountains of west-central Ar- ta griseogaster is conspecific and a junior syn- kansas and adjacent southeastern Oklahoma onym of the Oklahoma salamander, Eurycea (Trauth et al., 2004). It is a metamorphic sur- tynerensis (Bonett and Chippindale, 2004). face-dwelling species that frequents aquatic In addition, Malewitz (1956) reported the sites including abandoned mine shafts and acanthocephalan, Fessisentis vancleavei from spring seeps and can also be found under Eurycea multiplicata from Cherokee County, damp rocks and logs in deciduous forest. Oklahoma. However, that site is also north Although much has been published on the of the Arkansas River so his host would also ecology of Eurycea multiplicata (Dundee, be referred to as Eurycea tynerensis. Bonett 1967; Trauth and Dundee, 2005), nothing is and Chippindale (2004) found high mtDNA known about its helminth parasites. In an divergence within the Ouachitas (south of unpublished dissertation, Bouchard (1953) the Arkansas River) likely indicating cryptic examined 15 Eurycea multiplicata from Okla- species of Euryea multiplicata; however, fur- homa but did not recover any parasites. ther work remains to be done. Herein, we Rosen and Manis (1976) examined a single provide the first report of helminth parasites Eurycea multiplicata from an unknown loca- in large sample of Eurycea multiplicata from tion in Arkansas and found no helminths. Arkansas and Oklahoma. Fogle (1960), Saltarelli (1977), Buckner and Proc. Okla. Acad. Sci. 90: pp 69-74 (2010) 70 C.T. McALLISTER, C.R. BURSEY and M.A. STEFFEN MATERIALS AND METHODS from the intestinal tract of three E. multi- plicata (29, 31, 36 mm SVL) collected on 28 Between December 1987 and March 1995 February and 13 March 2010 from LeFlore and again between March 2002 and April and Pushamataha counties, Oklahoma (see 2010, 66 larval and adult Eurycea multiplicata Appendix). The species was originally de- (mean ± snout-vent length [SVL] = 34.9 ± 1.2, scribed from D. quadramaculatus (type host) 23-44 mm) were collected by hand or aquatic and D. monticula from North Carolina (Baker dip-net from (sample sizes in parentheses) et al., 1987). Other hosts include E. lucifuga Conway (1), Garland (2), Montgomery (1), and E. tynerensis (=E. m. griseogaster) from Pulaski (1), Polk (2), Saline (21), and Scott Arkansas (McAllister et al., 1995b). Eurycea (33) counties, Arkansas, and LeFlore (2), multiplicata is a new host and Oklahoma a McCurtain (2), and Pushmataha (1) coun- new locality for D. nantahalaensis. ties, Oklahoma (Appendix). Eight of the 21 Two O. papillocauda (USNPC 84239) Saline County salamanders had also been were recovered from the small intestine of a used in a previous study of myxozoa by single E. multiplicata (SVL = 23 mm, ASUMZ Upton et al. (1995). Specimens were placed 19489) collected on 18 March 1994 from in zip-lock bags with habitat water on ice Crystal Springs off US 270, Garland County, and returned to the laboratory for necropsy. Arkansas. This nematode was originally Salamanders were killed by prolonged im- described from Desmognathus spp. and Blue mersion in a dilute chloretone (chlorobuta- Ridge spring salamanders, Gyrinophilus por- nol) solution. A mid-ventral incision was phyriticus danielsi in North Carolina (Rankin, made to expose the viscera and the entire 1937a). It has also previously been reported gastrointestinal tract, liver, gall bladder, from numerous plethodontid salamanders spleen, and gonads were examined for hel- from North America, including the northern minths. The skull and endolymphatic sac two-lined salamander, Eurycea bislineata, was not examined. Nematodes were placed cave salamander, Eurycea lucifuga, northern in a drop of glycerol on microscopic slides dusky salamander, Desmognathus fuscus, and identifications were made from these common blackbelly salamander, Desmog- temporary mounts. Nematode voucher nathus quadramaculatus, Allegheny dusky specimens were deposited in the United salamander, Desmognathus ochrophaeus, States National Parasite Collection (US- seal salamander, Desmognathus monticola, NPC), Beltsville, Maryland. Host voucher spring salamander, G. porphyriticus and specimens were deposited in the Arkan- Desmognathus (=Leurognathus) marmorata sas State University Museum of Zoology, from Alabama, North Carolina, Ohio, and Herpetological Collection (ASUMZ) or the Tennessee (Rankin, 1937b; Walton, 1940; Henderson State University Herpetological Dyer and Peck, 1975; Dunbar and Moore, Collection (HSU), Arkadelphia, Arkansas. 1979; Catalano et al., 1982; Baker et al., 1987). More importantly, this nematode has also RESULTS AND DISCUSSION been reported from Ouachita dusky sala- manders, Desmognathus brimleyorum from Seven (10.6%) were infected with nema- Polk County, Arkansas (McAllister et al., todes, including three (4.5%) with the seura- 1995d). We document a new host record for toid, Desmognathinema nantahalaensis Baker, O. papillocauda. Goater, and Esch, 1987, one (1.5%) with the The ascaroid Cosmocercoides sp. (all seuratoid, Omeia papillocauda Rankin, 1937, females, USNPC 84238) was found in the and three (4.5%) with an ascaroid, Cosmo- rectum of three E. multiplicata (31, 34, and cercoides sp. 36 mm SVL; ASUMZ 20149, 19785, 20156) Nine D. nantahalaensis (seven males, collected on 9 April 1994 and 15 March 1995 two females; USNPC 103428) were removed from 3.2 km W of Shannon Hills, Saline Proc. Okla. Acad. Sci. 90: pp 69-74 (2010) PARASITES OF EURYCEA MULTIPLICATA FROM ARKANSAS AND OKLAHOMA 71 County, Arkansas. Since only females were are among the most depauperate hosts of all found it is not possible to assign our speci- vertebrates. mens to species. Nematodes of this genus/ species (=C. variabilis) are common in both ACKNOWLEDGMENTS amphibians and reptiles of the United States and Canada (summarized by McAllister and We thank the Arkansas Game and Fish Bursey, 2004). In addition, this genus (as Commission and Oklahoma Department of Oxysomatium sp.) has been reported from Wildlife Conservation for scientific collect- bullfrogs, Lithobates (=Rana) catesbeianus, ing permits issued to C. T. McAllister. We southern leopard frogs, Lithobates (=R.) also thank students of Mr. Ron Goddard sphenocephalus utricularius, northern cricket (Waldron High School, Waldron, AR) for frogs, Acris crepitans, Great Plains narrow- providing numerous specimens from Scott mouth toads, Gastrophryne olivacea, Texas County, and the Stuart’s for allowing C. T. toads, Anaxyrus (=Bufo) speciosus, Wood- McAllister to collect on their property in house’s toad, Anaxyrus (=B.) woodhousii, Saline County, which provided many of the and Couch’s spadefoot, Scaphiopus couchii specimens surveyed in this study. in Oklahoma (Trowbridge and Hefley, 1934; Kuntz, 1940, 1941). It has also been reported REFERENCES as C. variabilis from ringed salamanders, Ambystoma annulatum, Caddo Mountain Aho, JM. 1990. Helminth communities in amphibians salamanders, Plethodon caddoensis, Rich and reptiles: comparative approaches to under- standing patterns and processes. In: Esch GW, Mountain salamanders, Plethodon ouachitae, Bush AO, Aho JM, editors. Parasite communities: dark-sided salamanders, Eurycea longicauda patterns and processes. New York (NY): Chapman melanopleura, E. lucifuga and pickerel frogs, and Hall. p. 157-195. Baker MR, Goater TM, Esch GW. 1987. Descriptions of Lithobates (=R.) palustris in Arkansas (McAl- three nematode parasites of salamanders (Plethod- lister et al., 1995a, 1995c, 2002; McAllister ontidae: Desmognathinae) from the southeastern and Bursey, 2004). United States. Proc Helminthol Soc Wash 54:15-23. Bonett RM, Chippindale PT. 2004. Speciation, phy- This is the first report of helminth logeography and evolution of life history and parasites of E. multiplicata and as such we morphology in plethodontid salamanders of the document a new locality and three new Eurycea multiplicata complex. Mol Evol 13:1189-1203. host records for nematode parasites of this Bouchard, JL. 1953. An ecological and taxonomic study of helminth parasites from Oklahoma am- salamander. However, in our experience,

View Full Text

Details

  • File Type
    pdf
  • Upload Time
    -
  • Content Languages
    English
  • Upload User
    Anonymous/Not logged-in
  • File Pages
    6 Page
  • File Size
    -

Download

Channel Download Status
Express Download Enable

Copyright

We respect the copyrights and intellectual property rights of all users. All uploaded documents are either original works of the uploader or authorized works of the rightful owners.

  • Not to be reproduced or distributed without explicit permission.
  • Not used for commercial purposes outside of approved use cases.
  • Not used to infringe on the rights of the original creators.
  • If you believe any content infringes your copyright, please contact us immediately.

Support

For help with questions, suggestions, or problems, please contact us