Great Basin Naturalist Volume 59 Number 2 Article 14 4-30-1999 Helminths of the Madrean alligator lizard, Elgaria kingii (Sauria: Anguidae), from Arizona Stephen R. Goldberg Whittier College, Whittier, California Charles R. Bursey Pennsylvania State University, Shenango Campus, Sharon, Pennsylvania Hay Cheam Whittier College, Whittier, California Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/gbn Recommended Citation Goldberg, Stephen R.; Bursey, Charles R.; and Cheam, Hay (1999) "Helminths of the Madrean alligator lizard, Elgaria kingii (Sauria: Anguidae), from Arizona," Great Basin Naturalist: Vol. 59 : No. 2 , Article 14. Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/gbn/vol59/iss2/14 This Note is brought to you for free and open access by the Western North American Naturalist Publications at BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Great Basin Naturalist by an authorized editor of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. Great Basin Naturalist 59(2), ©1999, pp. 198-200 HELMINTHS OF THE MADREAN ALLIGATOR LIZARD, ELGARIA KINGII (SAURIA: ANGUIDAE), FROM ARIZONA Stephen R. Goldberg], Charles R. Burscy2, and Hay Chcam1 Key words: Elgaria kingii, Anguidae, helminths, Arizona. The Madrean alligator lizard, ElgarUi kingii (Harwood, 1930) Travassos, 1931, Spauligodon Gray, 1838, occurs from the southern edge of goldbergi Bursey and McAllister, 1996, Physa­ the central plateau of Arizona southward in loptera sp. (larvae), and Skrjabinoptera sp. (lar­ the Sierra Madre of Mexico to Jalisco, Mexico; vae). Prevalence, mean intensity, range and it frequents chaparral, oak woodland, and mean abundance are given in Table 1. Elgaria pine-fir forests and occurs fl-om 760 to 2070 In kingH is a new host record for each helminth (Stebbins 1985). There are no accounts of speCIes.• helminths hom this species. The purpose of None of the helminths found in this study our paper is twofold: to provide the fIrst was unique to Elgaria kingii. Gravid individu­ report of helminths from E. kingii collected in als of the following 3 species were found. Arizona and to furnish a list of parasites known Oochoristica eunwcis was originally described from the genus Elgaria. from the skink, Eumeces fasciatus, from Texas We borrowed 31 E. kingii from Arizona (Ilarwood 1932) and has been reported from from the herpetology collection of the Univer­ Ctenosaura pectinata from Mexico (Flores­ sity of Arizona (UAZ), '1heson (mean snout­ Barroeta et al. 1958); E. kingii is the 3rd host vent length, 68 mm, 8.2 S, range 48-80 mm). record. CostnOcercoides variabilis is known The lizards were originally preserved in 10% from a variety ofamphibians and reptiles from formalin and stored in 70% isopropanol. Spec­ North America (Baker 1987); E. kingii repre­ imens examined are listed by county ofcollec­ sents the 26th bost record. Spauligodon gold­ tion in Appendix 1. The body cavity was opened bergi was originally described from the ground and the gastrointestinal tract excised by cut­ snake, Sot/ora semiannulata, from central Texas ting across the esophagus and rectum. The by Bursey and McAllister (1996); E., kingii is esophagus, stomach, and small and large in­ the 2nd host record. testines were slit longitudinally and examined Three species ofhelminths were represented separately under a dissecting microscope. The by immature forms. Tetrathyridia of Mesoces­ body cavity and liver surface were also exam­ toides sp. occur commonly in the coleomic ined. Each helminth was removed to a tempo­ cavities of lizards and snakes which are con­ rary glycerol mount for examination. Nema­ sidered to be paratenic hosts (Bolette 1997). todes were identified from these temporary Adults of Physaloptera and Skrjabinoptera are mounts. Ccstodes wcre stained in hematoxylin frequently seen gastric parasites of lizards and mounted in Canada balsam for identifica­ (Baker 1987). Because only 3rd-stage larvac of tion. Voucher specimens were deposited in these 2 genera were found, their importance the u.s. National Parasite Collection (Appen­ to the helminth load of E. kingii cannot be dix 2). Terminology usage is in accordance assessed. with Bush et al. (1997). Parasite lists (Table 2) can now be devel­ Elgaria kingii harhored2 species ofccstodes, oped for 3 of 4 species ofElgaria occurring in Mesocestoid.es sp. (tetrathyridia) and Oocho­ North America, namely, E. coerulea, E. kingii, ristica eurnecis Harwood, 1932, and 4 species and E. multicarinata; E. panamintina has not of nematodes: Cosrnocercoides variabilis yet been examined. There is some overlap in IDepartment of Bio!o!-.ry, Whittier Collc!,(c, Whittiel; eA 90608, 2Departmcnt oj' Biolo!-.ry. Pcnnsylvania Slat" University. Shenango Cmnpm. 147 Sh"nango Avenue, Sharon, PA Hi 146. 198 1999J NOTES 199 TABLE L Helminths from Elgaria kingii (N = 31) from Arizona. Prevalence Mean intensity .Mean abundance Helminth N (%) ±s (range) ±, Site CESTODA Mesocestoides sp. (tetrathyridia) 47 3 47.0 1.52 +8.44 coelom Oo<;/wrl.stica eumecis 1 3 1.0 0.03 + 0.18 sma.ll intestine NEMATODA Cosmocercoides Vllriabilis 8 13 2.0 ±2.0 (1-5) 0.26 ±0.93 large intestine Spauligodon goldberg' 40 10 13.3 ± 10.2 (8-25) 1.29 ±4.79 small, large intestines Physaloptera sp. (larvae) 34 33 3.1 ±3.2 (1-11) 1.10 ± 2.39 stomach, small, large intestines Slcrjabincptffa 'p. (lame) 36 6 18.0 ± 18.3 (5-31) 1.16 ±5.81 stomach TABLE 2. Prevalence ofhelminths in species ofE1g01"fu from North America. Species of Elgario Helminth Location Prevalence Reference E. coeru1ea Mesocestoides sp. (tetrathyridia) Contra Costa Co., ell not given Voge 1953 Cosmocercoides sp. Whatcom co., WA 2% (2/104) Goldberg and Bursey 1991 Oswaldocrr.aia sp. Whatcom co., WA 1% (1/104) Goldberg and Bursey 1991 E. kingii Mesocestoides sp. (tetrathyridia) Gila Co., AZ 3% (1131) this study Oochoristica eumecis Santa Cruz. Co., AZ 3% (1131) this study Cosmocercoides variabilis Cochise, Pima cos., AZ 13% (4131) this study Spaultgodon goldbergi Cochise Co., AZ 10% (3/31) this study Physaloptera sp. (larvae) Cochise, Graham, Pima cos., AZ 35% (11131) this study Skrjahtnoptera sp. (larvae) Cochise Co., AZ 6% (2/31) this study E. multicarinata Bae:detta gerrhonoti Los Angeles Co., CA 64% (16125) Telford 1970 Mesocestoides sp. (tetrath)Tidia) Riverside Co., CA 7% (2f3Q) Telford 1970 Oochorlstica sp. Los Angeles Co., CA 1% (JI96) Goldberg and Bursey 1990 Physaloptera rctusa Riverside Co., CA 13% (4130) Telford 1970 Physalcptera sp. (1an>ae) Los Angeles Co., CA 1% (1/96) Coldberg and Bursey 1990 Oswaldocruzia pipiens Los Angeles Co.. CA 2% (2196) Goldberg and Bursey 1990 the helminth genera barbored (Table 2), but Newfoundland, Occasional Papers in Biology 11: too few helminths bave been found to evaluate 1-325. BOLETTE, D.E 1997. First record of Pachvsentis canicola the belminth community in species of Elgatia. (Acanthocephala: Oligacanthorhynchida) and the Except for the 64% (16125) prevalence of the occurrence of Mesocestcides sp. tetrathyridia (Ces­ cestode Baerietta ge-rrholloti reported by toidea: Cyclophyllidea) in the western diamonc:lbuck Telford (196.5), prevalences of helminth species rattlesnake, Crota/us atrar (Serpentes: Viperidae). ofElgatia are low. Journal of Parasitology 83:751-752. BURSEY, C.R., AND C.T. MCALLISTER. 1996. Spauligodcn goldbet-gi sp. n. (Nematoda: Pharyngodonidae) and We thank Charles H. Lowe, Department of other parasites of Sonora semianntJata (Serpentes: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University Colubridae) from New Mexico and Texas. Journal of of Arizona, for permission to examine speci­ the HelminthologicaJ Society ofWashington 63:62-65. mens of Elgatia kingii for helminths. BUSH, A.D., K.D. WF'EKI1'. J.M. LoTz, AND A.W SI-tOSTAK. 1997. Parasitology meets ecology on its own terms: ~1argolis et al. revisited. Journal of Parasitology 83: LITERATURE CrrED 575-583. FWRES-BAflROETA, L., E. HmALGO, AND RR. BRENES. BAKER, M.R. 1987. Synopsis of the Nematoda parasitic in 1958. Cestodos de Vertebrados IV. Revista de Biologia amphjbians and reptiles. Memorial University of Tropical6w-78. 200 GREAT BASIN NATURALIST [Volume 59 G(Il,DBlmG, S,R., AND C.R BUIlSRY. 1990. Helminths of APPENDIX 1 the San Di~v;u alligatlll' lizard, (Gerrhorwtus multi­ carinatus wehhi) (Anguid:u::).}ouma\ ofWildlife Dis­ Museum accession numhers for specimens of Elgaria e.1SC.~ 26:297-Zi)ij. kingii (N = 31) from the University of Arizona (UAZ) ___.. 199]. Ga.W\.Jinteslinal helminths of the northwt'"-st­ listed by Ariwna County. Cochise (UAZ 15501, 15691, em aJli~tor li7.ard. GerrJumotus COOnileus primipi.' 36871,37918-37920,39487,39711,39715,40032-40033, (An~lliclac). Journal of the llclminthological S()(:i~ty 40308,4093S-40939,40941-40942,40944,40947,46845, orWd.'ihinv;tun 58:246-248. 47297, 48012); C;I. (UAZ 36731, 403(9); Craham (UAZ nflllWOOll, 1~J). 1932. The helminths parasitic in t.he 36362,39710,43862); Pima (UAZ 11248, 19773-19774) Amphibia and Hcptilia of H01L~ton, Texa~ and vicin­ Santa Cruz (VAZ 11990, 49171). ity. Pnx-'(~edin~ ofthe U.S. National Museurn 81:1-71. S'I'IWllINS, RC. 1985. A field guide to western reptiles and amphibians. Hou~htf)n Mifflin Company, Buston. 336 pp. ArmNOIx2 Tl~J,1I0HD, S.R., JH. 196.'5. A n~w nematutacniid ecstoclc from California Iizard.~. J<).l?ane-~e Joumal of Experi­ Accession numbers for helminths of Elgaria kingii mental Medicine 35:301--303. deposited in Ihe U.S. National Pm-asite Collection. Meso­ ___. 1970. A comparative study of endupamsitism cestoides ~"p. (~7667), OochnrisUca ewnecis (~7664), Cos­ illnong some soulJlern Qlliromia lizard populations. ="coUles ",<riabili., (87665), Spauligodon goldberb' Amcric;.ill Midhmd Naturalist ij3:5l6-554. (87666), PhysalOPU-'Tll sp. (87668), Skrjabinoptera sp. V<xa·:, M. 1953. New host rccor<l~ lor Mesocestoides (Ccs­ (87669). tod,l: Cyclophyllidea) ill Califln-nia. American Mid­ land aturalist 4tl:24~251. Received27 l~bruMy 19iJ8 Accepted 11 M,UJ 1998.