PARASITES OF THE CRICKE'.' FROG, ACRIS CREPITANS, OF DENTON COUUTY, TEXAS APPROVED: Ma j o fefisor Minor Professor Director of the Department Biology Dean 01 the Graduate School I PARASITES OF THE CRICKET FROG, ACRIS CREPITANS, OF DENTON COUNTY, TEXAS THESIS Presented to the Graduate Council of the North Texas State University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of MASTER OF ARTS By Edward F. Block IV, B. A. Denton, Texas August, 1968 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF TABLES iv •LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS V Chapter I. INTRODUCTION 1 Review of the Literature Statement of the Problem II. NATURAL HISTORY OF THE HOST 7 III. METHODS AND MATERIALS 9 Collection and Utilization of the Host Collection of Parasites Preservation Technizues IV. RESULTS 17 V. DISCUSSION AND SUMMARY 21 Discussion Summary BIBLIOGRAPHY 30 XXX LIST OP TABLES Table Page I. Occurrence of Parasites According to Sex and Collection Site of Host Specimens 18 II. Frequency of Infection According to Collection Site 19 III. Frequency of Infection According to Sex and Collection Site of Host Specimens .20 xv LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure Page 1. Denton County General Highway Map with Collection Sites Indicated 10 v CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Review of the Literature The taxonomy of the genus Acris (Amphibia, Anura) has been subject to controversy subsequent to publication of the volume by Wright and Wright (15) concerning the natural his- tory and taxonomy of North American frogs and toads in 1933. However, today the taxonomic relationships of the genus are generally recognized by herpetologists to be those expressed in the field guide to reptiles and amphibians written by Conant (1) and published in 1958. The distribution maps in the field guide are an invaluable guide in helping to estab- lish the ranges of the two recognized species A. crepitans and A. gryllus. Denton County, Texas,is within the range of A. crepitans. Walton (12, 13, 14) has catalogued the parasites of the genus Acris. The following were listed as parasites of A. gryllus: Nematoda—Cosmocercoides dukae, Oswaldocruzia leidyi, 0. minuta, Rhabdias ranae, and Thubunae leiolopismae; Cestoda—-Cvlindrotaenia americana, Nematotaenia dispar, and Ophiotaenia magna; Trema toda—BrachycoeHum salamandraey Protozoa--Hexamita sp., Opalina virguioidea macronucleata, 0. v. magninucleata, Nyctotherus coraiformis, Retromonas dobelli, Trichomonas augusta, and Trypanosoma grylli. The following were listed as parasites of A. crepitans: Nematoda—Physalopteran larvae; Protozoa—Opalina obtrigon- oidea, Nyctotherus cordiformis, and Trichomonas augusta. The locations of collection of host specimens were not given; therefore the above data constitute information referrable only to the genus Acris. Trypanosoma grylli was described in 1944 by Nigrelli (8) from cricket frogs collected in Florida which is within the range of A. gryllus. All other host records which have been found are referable to A. crepitans. The type specimen of Cylindrotaenia americana was des- cribed by Jewell (3) in 1916. The site of collection of host- specimens of cricket frogs was Urbana, Illinois. In 1929, Walton (10) described specimens of the new species Rhabdias ranae as parasites of North American frogs. Cricket frogs collected in Urbana, Illinois, were listed as host specimens to this new species. In his description of helminths parasitic in the amphi- bia and reptilia of Houston, Texas, Harwood (2) in 1932 listed Cvlindrotaenia americana and Thubunae leiolopismae as parasites' .of cricket frogs. Trowbridge and Hefley (9) published a preliminary study on the parasitic fauna of Oklahoma anurans in 1933. Cricket frogs were found to be parasitized by Opalina sp., Cylindro- taenia americana, and Rhabdias ranae. Kuntz (4) presented a paper to the Oklahoma Academy of Science in December, 1940, concerning the metazoan parasites of some Oklahoma anura. Specimens of A. crepitans were re- ported to be host to two cestodes, four nematodes, and one acarina. Since only the parasites were listed, there is no way of knowing which species were found in A. crepitans. In 1941, Morgan (6) reported that physalopteran larvae were recovered from the stomach of host specimens of A. crepitans. The new species Oswaldocruzia minuta was described in 1941 by Walton (11). Terre Haute, Indiana, was given as the . site of collection of host specimens of cricket frogs. In 1956, Loomis (5) reported his results of the study of chigger mites (Arthropoda, Acarina) of Kansas and surround- ing states. In this publication, Loomis cited three different species of Hannemania found infesting host specimens of cricket frogs.. The latest publication dealing with parasites of A. crep- itans was an article by Morrison (7) in 1967. He reported the lungworm, Rhabdias ranae, and the mite Hannemania pene- trans from cricket frogs in southern Oklahoma. Statement of the Problem The purpose of this study was threefold. The literature concerning parasites of A. crepitans was to be brought up to date. Contributions to the general body of knowledge per- taining to the parasitic fauna of host specimens of A_. crepi- tans and specifically those found in Denton County, Texas, were to be made. Finally, specimens found parasitizing host specimens of A. crepitans were to be preserved and classified. CHAPTER BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Conant, R., A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of the United States and Canada East of the 100th Meridian, Boston, Massachusetts, Houghton Mifflin Company, 1958. 2. Harwood, P. D., "The Helminths Parasitic in the Amphibia and Reptilia of Houston, Texas, and Vicinity," Proceed- ings of the U. S.. National Museum, LXXXI (January, 1932) . 3. Jewell, M. E., "Cylindrotaenia americana n. sp. Prom the Cricket Frog, " Journal of Parasitology, II,, (February, 1916) 181-192. 4. Kuntz, R. E., "The Metazoan Parasites of Some Oklahoma Anura," Proceedings of the Oklahoma Academy of Science, XXI (January, 1941), 33-34. 5. Loomis, R. B., "The Chigger Mites of Kansas (Acarina,. Thrombiculidae)," University of Kansas Science Bulletin XXXVII (June, 1956), 1195-1443. 6. Morgan, R. B., "A Summary of the Physalopterinae (Nematoda) of North America," Proceedings of the Helmintholoqical Society of Washington, VII (January, 1941), 28-30. 7. Morrison, E. 0., "Mite and Lungworm Infections in Acris crepitans From Southern Oklahoma," Texas Journal of Science. XIX (November, 1967), 328-329. 8. Nigrelli, R. F., "Trypanosomes from North American Amphib- ians, with a Description of Trypanosoma grylli Nigrelli (1944) from Acris gryllus (Le Conte)," Zoologica, XXX (September, 1945), 45-47. 9. Trowbridge, A. H., and H. M. Hefley, "Preliminary Studies on the Parasite Fauna of Oklahoma Anurans," Proceedings of the Oklahoma Academy of Science, XIV (January, 1933), 16-19. 10. Walton, A. C., "Studies on Some Nematodes of North American Frogs I," Journal of Parasitology, XV (June, 1929), 227-240. 11. , "Oswaldocruzia minuta n. sp, (Nematoda) from Acris gryllus," American Midland Naturalist, XXV (March, 1941) , 418-^419. 12 . , "Parasites of tha Br achy c epha 1 idae and of the Hylidae," Journal of Parasitology, XXXII Sect. 2 supplement (December, 1946), 19. 13 . , "The Parasites of Amphibia," Wildlife Disease, XXXIX (February, 1964). 14. , "The Parasites of Amphibia, continued," Wildlife Disease, XL (September, 1964). 15. Wright, A. H., and A. A. Wright, Handbook of Frogs and Toads of the United States and Canada, Ithaca, New York, Comstock Publishing Associates, 1949. CHAPTER II NATURAL HISTORY OF THE HOST Cricket frogs are semi-terrestrial and littoral. They are found along the edges of springs, streams, rivers, ponds, lakes, and impoundments in shallow water usually with emer- gent vegetation and/or shoreline cover (3). Cricket frogs appear to be the most abundant amphibians encountered within the area of this study. They can be readily found during the spring, summer, fall, and some winter months in Texas. During colder winter months specimens are less numerous due to adverse climatic conditions. The breeding period extends from February (4) to Sep- tember (1) in Texas. Eggs are laid singly or in small masses, and are not concealed under objects. Newly metamorphosed frogs may be found early in May (4). Burkett (2) noted that most cricket frogs do not survive to breed more than once. Cricket frogs are an .important source of food for semi- aquatic snakes. Many are thought to be consumed by fishes, water birds, and other predators. Other pertinent information concerning the natural history of cricket frogs is contained in a volume by Wright and Wright (5). 8 CHAPTER BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Blair, W. P., "Calling and Spawning Seasons in a Mixed Population of Anurans," Ecology, XLII (January, 1961) 106. 2. Burkett, Ray D., Unpublished notes, Department of Biology, Texas Women's University, Denton, Texas, 1965. 3. Conant, R., A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of the United States and Canada East of the 100th Meridian, Boston, Massachusetts, Houghton Mifflin Company, 1958. 4. Pyburn, W. F., "Size and Movements of a Local Population of Cricket Frogs," Texas Journal of Science, X (September, 1958), 337. 5. Wright, A. H. and A. A. Wright, Handbook of Frogs and Toads of the United States and Canada, Ithaca, New York, Cornstock Publishing Associates, 1949. Q CHAPTER III MATERIALS AND METHODS Collection and Utilization of the Host « Host specimens of A. crepitans were collected by hand from either of two locations, McMath's cattle pond and the Dry Fork of Hickory Creek (Fig. 1). McMath's cattle pond is approximately six miles south- southeast of Denton near the Pilot Knolls Park area bordering Garza-Little Elm Reservoir. This permanent pond is roughly in the shape of an isoceles triangle measuring about one hun- dred feet across the base and about 250 feet along the sides. The site is within a runoff depression that emptied into Hickory Creek before the dam was built. This location lies within the Eastern Cross Timbers. The dominant plant is Post Oak, Quereus stellata. The pond fringe is fairly clear in most places but underbrush and forest surrounds the area.