Reinard Harkema

Helminth parasites of the raccoon, Procyon lotor in the southeastern United States.

During the past 4 years examination of 32.0 raccoons, Procyon lotor, from five southeastern states revealed 39 species of helminth parasites. These were identified and grouped as follows: TREMATODA: 24 species; CESTODA: 3 species; NEMATODA: 11 species; and ACANTHOCEPHALA: 1 species. Differences were noted between the helminthic fauna of hosts from coastal and inland habitats. Helminthological studies on 320 raccoons from five southeastern states during the past 4 years have revealed some new parasitological information that is presented herein along with a summary of pertinent literature. Some comparable studies are those of Chandler (1942a), Babero and Shepperson (1958), and Jordan and Hayes (1959). Chandler recovered eight helminth species from 13 raccoons in east Texas and Babero and Shepperson reported 16 species of helminths from six raccoons in central Georgia. It is interesting to note that Jordan and Hayes obtained only seven species of helminths from 100 raccoons from Ossabaw Island, Georgia. Four species of protozoa, 27 nematodes, 20 trematodes, 7 cestodes, 3 acanthocephalans, and 15 arthropods have been reported as parasites of the raccoon (Clark and Herman, 1959). The hosts were obtained alive when possible. Many specimens were obtained from trappers during the regular trapping seasons. All animals were examined by conventional methods as soon as possible after capture. Exposure of the domestic cat to spargana was effected by mixing the larvae with canned cat food. Starved cats were fed macerated Received for publication 3 October 1963. * Contribution from the Zoology Department, North Carolina Agricultural Experiment Station, Raleigh. Published with the approval of the Director of Research as Paper No. 1702 of the Journal Series. Supported by research grants AI03209-04 and AI05927-01 from the National Institutes of Health, U. S. Public Health Service. 60 lung tissue containing metacercariae of P. procyonis in the same manner. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Thirty-nine species of helminths, 23 of which were trematodes, were recovered from 320 raccoons. Tapeworms were represented bv three species, one of which, Spirometra mansonoides, was present as an adult in the intestine and as a sparganum in subcutaneous tissue. Eleven species of nematodes and one acanthocephalan were recovered (Table I).

Studies on helminths of North Carolina vertebrates. V. Parasites of the mink, Mustela vison Schreber.

Twenty-one species of helminths were recovered from 120 mink, Mustela vison, in North Carolina. Ninety-nine hosts harbored one or more species which were grouped as follows: nine trematodes, two cestodes, eight nematodes, and two acanthocephalans. The mink is reported as a new host for three species, and North Carolina as a new locality for five species of the helminths. There are few comprehensive reports on the helminths of mink, Mustela vison. This is especially true for wild mink because many studies have been concerned only with fur farm animals. Nine species of helminths were listed from mink in Ontario, Canada (Law and Kennedy, 1932). Observations were made on the larger helminths of 158 mink in southern Michigan (Sealander, 1943). The most comprehensive report is that of Erickson (1946), who examined 151 mink of which 72 were fur farm animals. Erickson also included most of the information known at that time on helminths of Mustelidae. Additional scattered records are available but most deal with particular parasites (Ameel, 1934, 1938; Skinker, 1932, 1935; Wallace, 1935; McIntosh, 1936) or surveys which include the mink as a part of a larger study (Senger and Neiland, 1955; Voge, 1955; Freeman, 1956). This paper is concerned with the incidence of helminths in 120 wild mink in North Carolina and summarizes the current literature. The mink used in this study were obtained from commercial trappers in the Piedmont and coastReceived for publication 28 July 1964. * Contribution from the Zoology Department, North Carolina Agricultural Experiment Station, Raleigh. Published with the approval of the Director of Research as Paper No. 1846 of the Journal Series. t Supported by Public Health Service Research Grants AI-03209 and AI-05927-01, from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. al counties of North Carolina with the majority of them being taken in the vicinity of Raleigh, North Carolina. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Twenty-one species of helminths were recovered from 99 of 120 mink. These included nine trematodes, two cestodes, eight nematodes, and two acanthocephalans (Table I).

Studies on the helminths of North Carolina vertebrates. I. Procyotrema marsupiformis n. g. n. sp. (Strigeida: Diplostomatidae) from the pancreatic duct of the raccoon.

The examination of a raccoon, Procyon lotor lotor, collected in Wake County, N. C. on December 15, 1957, revealed an enlarged pancreas due to markedly hypertrophied pancreatic ducts, which contained 86 strigeid trematodes. Several of the specimens were attached by the holdfast. Hemorrhagic host tissue was present in the cavity between the ventral body wall and holdfast. Several years earlier a limited amount of material of this trematode had been obtained from formalin-preserved viscera of raccoons from Pasquotank County, N. C. The specimens constitute a new genus and species of the Strigeida and are assigned to the Family Diplostomatidae.

Pharyngostmoides procynis n.g., n. Sp. (Suigcida) a trematode from the raccoon in North Carolina and Texas.

During the examination of twenty-three specimens of the raccoon, Procyon lotor lotor (L.) from North Carolina in the fall and winter of 1939-40 and 1940-41, thousands of small strigeid trematodes were found in the small intestine of fourteen specimens. These appear to represent a new genus of the family DIPLOSTOMIDAE, subfamily ALARIINAE. Mr. Allen McIntosh and Dr. E. W. Price of the U. S. Bureau of

STUDIES ON HELMINTHS OF NORTH CAROLINA VERTEBRATES. IV. PARASTRIGEA TULIPOIDES SP. N., A TREMATODE (STRIGEIDA:STRIGEIDAE) FROM THE RED-SHOULDERED HAWK.

Parastrigea tulipoides sp. n. is described from a collection of strigeoid trematodes taken from the red-shouldered hawk, Buteo lineatus, in Hertford County, North Carolina. This is the third record for a member of this genus in North America. Attempts to infect snails were unsuccessful.