Comparative Parasitology 67(1) 2000 - Peru State College

134 COMPARATIVE PARASITOLOGY, 67(1), JANUARY 2000
Table 1. Prevalence and mean intensity of helminth parasites found in 51 Plethodon richmondi from
southwestern West Virginia.
Parasite species
Brachycoelium storeriae
Angiostoma plethodontis
Batracholandros salamandrae
Acanthocephalan cystacanth (unidentified)
* Number (%) infected.
Prevalence* Mean intensity ± 1 SD (range)
10 (19.6)
15 (29.4)
5 (9.8)
1 (2.0)
mondi individuals were included in that survey,
and prevalences were 6.7% and 20.0% for C.
americana and B. salamandrae, respectively.
These are the only reported helminths from this
salamander host to date. Accordingly, this report
presents new information on helminths of this
plethodontid species, including prevalences and
intensities of infection.
A total of 51 ravine salamanders (28 females
and 23 males) was collected in Cabell and
Wayne counties of West Virginia in February-
April, October, and November 1996 and in February
1997. Salamanders were captured by hand
in mature forests of beech, maple, and oak trees
on cool rainy evenings. Hosts were placed in
plastic bags with damp leaf litter and returned
to the laboratory where they were maintained in
a refrigerator at approximately 4°C. All salamanders
were necropsied within 18 hr of capture.
Immediately prior to necropsy, each salamander
was measured for snout-vent length
(SVL) to the nearest mm with vernier calipers,
and weighed to the nearest 0.1 g on a Mettler
Model BB300® electronic balance. Mean SVL
of 50 mm (±SE =1.5 mm) for females did not
differ significantly from the mean SVL of 47
mm (±SE = 1.3 mm) for males (f0.o5,49 = 1-471;
P > 0.05). Mean weight of 1.53 g (±SE = 0.11
g) for females did not differ significantly from
the mean of 1.28 g (±SE = 0.77) for males
(*o.o5,49 = 1-852; P > 0.05). Since neither mean
snout-vent lengths nor total body weights for female
versus male P. richmondi were statistically
significant, data were pooled for both host sexes
to determine the prevalences and mean intensities
of infection for the various helminth species.
Salamanders were killed by decapitation. The
sex of each individual was determined. At time
of necropsy, the gastrointestinal tract was removed,
and the small and large intestines were
examined with a dissecting microscope for helminths.
Nematodes were initially studied in tem-
2.3 ± 1.70 (1-7)
1.5 ± 0.64 (1-3)
1.2 ± 0.45 (1-2)
1.0 — (1)
Copyright © 2011, The Helminthological Society of Washington
Site of infection
Small intestine
Small intestine
Small, large intestine
Mesentery
porary lactophenol mounts and then stored in
70% ethanol. Voucher specimens representing
each helminth species were stained in Semichon's
acetic carmine, dehydrated in an ethanol
series, cleared in xylene, and mounted in Permount®.
The terms prevalence and mean intensity
follow the definitions of Bush et al. (1997).
In the study, 4 helminth species were found
in P. richmondi individuals (Table 1). The trematode
appears to be Brachycoelium storeriae
Harwood, 1932, a diagnosis based, in part, on
the morphological similarity of specimens in this
study with the description provided by Cheng
(1958), who argued convincingly for the separation
of this trematode species from Brachycoelium
salamandrae (Frolich, 1789). The diagnosis
of B. storeriae from the terrestrial P.
richmondi in West Virginia can be supported on
an ecological basis as well. For example, Parker
(1941) identified trematodes of this species from
Opheodrys aestivus (Linnaeus, 1766) and Ambystoma
opacum (Gravenhorst, 1807), both terrestrial
hosts. Cheng (1958) also collected B. storeriae
individuals from Plethodon cinereus
(Green, 1818), another terrestrial host species.
Brachycoelium storeriae has also been reported
from Pseudotriton ruber (Sonnini, 1802) (Parker,
1941; Dunbar and Moore, 1979), a salamander
species considered semiaquatic to semiterrestrial
by the latter authors.
The nematode Angiostoma plethodontis Chitwood,
1933 found in the present study clearly
conforms to its original description (Chitwood,
1933). A total of 22 A. plethodontis (13 females
and 9 males) was collected from 15 P. richmondi
(Table 1). This female:male ratio of 1.44:1.00
did not deviate significantly from the expected
1.00:1.00 ratio (x2 = 0.752; df = 1; 0.5 > P >
0.1).
The identification of B. salamandrae from P.
richmondi may not be definitive, because all 6
individuals of this nematode species collected