Syphacia (Syphacia) millardiae n. sp. (Nematoda: Oxyuridae: Syphaciinae) is described based on specimens collected from a soft-furred field rat, Millardia meltada. This species is closely related to several other members of the genus Syphacia, also murid parasites. This species closely resembles Syphacia (Syphacia) obvelata, a cosmopolitan parasite of Mus musculus. Syphacia (Syphacia) millardiae n. sp. differs from S. obvelata in that females exhibit a cuticular ornamentation with varicose cuticular elevations between the cephalic nervous endings, smaller body width, smaller eggs, and a longer esophagus. Males exhibit a shorter body length, a longer tail with a shorter tail tip, a longer esophagus, and a longer gubernaculum than do males of S. obvelata.

Neoechinorhynchus moleri n. sp. is described from a yellow-bellied slider (Trachemys scripta scripta) and a Florida red-bellied turtle (Pseudemys nelsoni) from the state of Florida, U.S.A. The new species is distinguished from others in the genus by the shape of the posterior end of the female and by the size, shape, and membrane structure of the egg. The egg of the new species has features similar to both the eggs of Neoechinorhynchus chelonos (lomentiform or “peanut shaped”) and Neoechinorhynchus pseudemydis (with radiating rod-like inclusions). The egg of the new species is smaller than the egg of either N. chelonos or N. pseudemydis, and the rod-like inclusions are restricted to the poles, whereas in N. pseudemydis they are distributed uniformly around the acanthor. Furthermore, the posterior end of the female lacks a large digitiform process such as in N. chelonos. Neoechinorhynchus moleri n. sp. is the second species of Neoechinorhynchus infecting turtles described from peninsular Florida.

A review of specimens previously reported as Dactylogyrus banghami from cyprinid fishes in North American Gulf of Mexico Coastal drainages revealed 6 different species: Dactylogyrus beckeri from Cyprinella venusta; Dactylogyrus perlus from Luxilus chrysocephalus isolepis; Dactylogyrus sp. cf. beckeri from Lythrurus atrapiculus and Lythrurus bellus; Dactylogyrus hydrophloxi n. sp. from Notropis baileyi; Dactylogyrus magnibulbus n. sp. from Notropis longirostris and Notropis ammophilus; and Dactylogyrus parvibulbus n. sp. from Notropis texanus and Notropis hypsilepis.

Oligobdella biannulata is a rare, endemic leech species originally described from a mountain stream near Blowing Rock, North Carolina, U.S.A. Specimens of O. biannulata were collected seasonally (fall 1999–summer 2002), documenting new county records from North Carolina and South Carolina and new state records from Georgia and Tennessee, U.S.A. Fifty-one percent of Desmognathus quadramaculatus and 50% of Desmognathus marmoratus were parasitized with O. biannulata. Between late May and early July, O. biannulata leaves its salamander host to lay 15–30 bright yellow, yolky eggs and brood them on its ventral surface. Eggs hatch in 10–20 d, and in about 50 d both hatchlings and adult search for a blood meal. Oligobdella biannulata reattaches to its host between late August and early October. When a desmognathine salamander host is found the adult leech attaches and hatchlings leave the adult, attaching singly or in clusters on the limbs or axillary and inguinal regions of the salamander, blood feeding, and overwintering on the host.

One of 2 black-necked stilts, Himantopus mexicanus, collected from Galveston, Texas, U.S.A., was infected with 60 Caiguiria himantopae n. sp. (Heterophyidae). The new species most closely resembles Caiguiria crassa but differs from it in having a Y-shaped excretory vesicle that lacks lateral branches off the vesicle stem rather than a saccate vesicle with additional lateral branches; ceca that terminate at the level of the ovary rather than extending posteriorly to the testes; and placement of the seminal receptacle on the midline of the body occupying the anterior aspect of the intertesticular space rather than sinistral and some distance ahead of the left testis. Dicranotaenia himantopodis was the only endohelminth found that had been previously reported from black-necked stilts. Allopyge sp., Ascocotyle sp., and Chevreuxia sp. were also found and are new host records.

Potorostrongylus woyliei sp. n. (Nematoda: Cloacinidae), a new nematode from the stomach of the brush-tailed bettong Bettongia penicillata is described and a revised key to the genus provided. The new species most closely resembles Potorostrongylus finlaysoni Johnston and Mawson, 1939 and Potorostrongylus temperatus Smales, 1997 but differs from both in the shape of the submedian lips, the length of the spicules, and the proportions of the elements of the ovejector. Each potoroid host species is associated with a particular species of Potorostrongylus, suggesting coevolution of host and helminth. Additional potoroid–potorostronglyid associations appear to be incidental infections resulting from sympatric host distribution.

Helminth community structure and pattern were assessed in 16 Ross' geese, Chen rossii, and 46 greater white-fronted geese, Anser albifrons, collected during winter 1999–2000 in Kleberg County, Texas, U.S.A. Helminths found in individual Ross' geese ranged from 1 to 6 species and from 1 to 95 individuals; infracommunities averaged 3.5 ± 0.3 (SE) species and 42.5 ± 7.7 individuals. Ten species were found in the Ross' goose component community, in which Amidostomum anseris, Epomidiostomum crami, Heterakis dispar, and Trichostrongylus tenuis were the most prevalent and numerically dominant. Helminths found in individual white-fronted geese ranged from 1 to 7 species and from 4 to 117 individuals; infracommunities averaged 4.2 ± 0.2 species and 28.9 ± 4.0 individuals. Sixteen species were found in the white-fronted goose component community. Epomidiostomum crami, Amidostomum spatulatum, and T. tenuis were the most prevalent and numerically dominant. In white-fronted geese, chi-square and analysis of variance comparisons were possible for A. anseris, A. spatulatum, E. crami, T. tenuis, and Drepanidotaenia sp. Prevalence was significantly higher in the juvenile sample than the adult sample for A. anseris and T. tenuis, whereas A. spatulatum was significantly lower in the juvenile sample. Prevalence of T. tenuis was significantly higher in males than females. Mean abundance of A. spatulatum was significantly higher in the adult sample than the juvenile sample, whereas T. tenuis was significantly higher in the juvenile sample. No significant differences in mean abundance were observed because of host sex. On the basis of percentage similarity and Jaccard's indices, component communities between juvenile and adult white-fronted geese were most similar, followed by male and female white-fronted geese, and juvenile Ross' and white-fronted geese. Relatively low species richness, preponderance and numerical dominance of direct life cycle nematodes, and absence of helminths in a number of habitats suggests that the mainly herbivorous diet of Ross' and white-fronted geese dramatically influenced helminth community structure and pattern on the wintering grounds.

Actin is an abundant, highly expressed, and much conserved protein belonging to the actin–heat shock protein70–sugarkinase superfamily. The full-length messenger RNAs encoding actin were cloned and characterized from the plant-parasitic cyst nematodes Heterodera glycines and Globodera rostochiensis and from the free-living nematode Panagrellus redivivus. The actins from the plant-parasitic nematodes showed highest amino acid sequence identity to filarial nematode homologues, whereas nucleotide sequence identity was much lower than that for many actins from very distant organisms, such as vertebrates, plants, or fungi. Analysis of base composition revealed a striking difference between the H. glycines actin gene and those of filarial nematodes in (G C) content and usage of particular codons. Analysis of genomic DNA revealed the presence of 7 introns in the H. glycines actin gene. The first was atypically long and started with a GC dinucleotide, and the fifth intron occupied a novel site in the catalogue of intron positions known thus far for actin genes. Analysis of the partial genomic DNA sequences obtained from 6 other Heterodera spp. suggested that features shown for the H. glycines actin gene are characteristic for a wide range of cyst nematodes.

One hundred sixty-four lizards representing 13 species collected from the Reserva Cuzco Amazónico, Peru, were examined for helminths. Two species of Cestoda (Oochoristica ameivae and Ophiotaenia flava) and 18 species of Nematoda (adults of Amphibiocapillaria freitaslenti, Cyrtosomum longicaudatum, Oswaldocruzia peruvensis, Oswaldocruzia vitti, Oswaldofilaria azeuedoi, Parapharyngodon scleratus, Physaloptera retusa, Physalopteroides venancioi, Piratuba digiticauda, Piratuba lainsoni, Piratuboides zeae, Rhabdias anolis, Skrjabinelzaia intermedia, Spauligodon oxkutzcabiensis, Spinicauda spinicauda, Strongyluris oscari; larvae of Dujardinascaris sp. and Hastospiculum sp.) were found. In all, 1,617 helminths were collected from 83 (51%) of the 164 lizards examined. Of these, 15 (0.9%) were larval forms, which are thought not capable of reaching maturity in lizards. No infected lizard harbored more than 3 helminth species: 1.70 ± 0.08 (x̄ ± 1 SE) helminth species/infected lizard; 19.45 ± 2.82 helminth individuals/infected lizard. No host species harbored more than 7 helminth species: 3.23 ± 0.51 helminth species/host species. Twenty-eight new host records and 18 new locality records are reported.

Forty-two individuals representing 8 species of stingray were collected from 14 localities along the coast of the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico. Monogeneans from 2 families (Monocotylidae Lebedev, 1988 and Capsalidae Baird, 1853) were found on the gills and body surfaces. Dendromonocotyle octodiscus Hargis, 1955 was collected from Dasyatis americana Hildebrand and Schroeder, 1928 from Blanquizal, Quintana Roo, Mexico, and Urobatis jamaicensis (Cuvier 1816) McEachran and Fechhelm 1998 from Xcalak, Isla Contoy, Mexico, Cozumel, Quintana Roo, Mexico, and Ría Lagartos, Yucatán, Mexico. Decacotyle floridana (Pratt, 1910) Chisholm and Whittington, 1998 was collected from Aetobatus narinari (Euphrasen 1790) from Holbox, Quintana Roo, Mexico, and Ciudad del Carmen and Champotón, Campeche, Mexico. Benedeniella posterocolpa (Hargis, 1955) Yamaguti, 1963 was collected from Rhinoptera bonasus (Mitchell, 1815) from Champotón, Campeche, Mexico. Quintana Roo and Yucatán, Mexico, are new distribution records for D. octodiscus, and U. jamaicensis is a new host record for this species from a host collected from nature. Quintana Roo is a new locality record for D. floridana, and Campeche, Mexico, is a new locality record for B. posterocolpa. Hypotheses of biogeographical and coevolutionary patterns concerning monogeneans of elasmobranchs are premature, but B. posterocolpa seems to be strictly host specific, whereas D. floridana and D. octodiscus display a much lower level of host fidelity at lower host taxonomic levels.

Seventy-two Caucasian salamanders, Mertensiella caucasica, were collected from 5 localities in Turkey between 1995 and 2001 and examined for helminths. One species of Monogenea, Euzetrema caucasica; 2 species of Digenea, Brachycoelium salamandrae and Opisthioglyphe rastellus; 1 species of Cestoda, Nematotaenia dispar; 4 species of Nematoda, Amphibiocapillaria tritonispunctati, Aplectana acuminata, Cosmocerca longicauda, and Mertensinema iberica; and 1 species of Acanthocephala, Acanthocephalus ranae, were found. One new host record and 6 new locality records are reported.

A total of 114 specimens representing 2 species of gekkonid lizards, Gehyra mutilata and Hemidactylus frenatus, 2 species of scincid lizards, Mabuya cumingi and Mabuya multifasciata, and 1 species of snake, Ramphotyphlops braminus, from the Philippine Islands were examined for metazoan endoparasites. Two species of Cestoda, Oochoristica excelsa and Oochoristica javaensis, 3 species of Digenea, Mesocoelium monas, Plagiorchis taiwanensis and Postorchigenes ovatus, 3 species of Nematoda, Kalicephalus viperae chunkingensis, Pharyngodon oceanicus and Spauligodon hemidactylus, and 1 species of Pentastomida, Raillietiella frenatus, were found. Four new host records and 2 new locality records are reported.

New techniques and protocols for the field collection and preservation of spirorchiid trematodes and polystomatid monogeneans are delineated for inclusion in existing postmortem examination protocols for the parasites of turtles. Spirorchiid trematodes are collected in body and organ washes of citrated saline solution concentrated by sedimentation in a separatory funnel. Polystomatid monogeneans are collected by precise dissection and examination of the urinary and accessory bladders, nasal and oral cavities, and the conjunctival sacs and nictitating membranes of the eye. Fixation by distilled water osmotony or heat followed by preservation and storage in 95% undenatured ethanol are recommended to produce specimens for subsequent morphological and molecular analysis.

Specimens of Cylicocyclus insigne (Boulenger, 1917) from Equus caballus and Cylicocyclus gyalocephaloides Ortlepp, 1938 from Equus burchelli were studied to determine whether they should be recognized as separate species. Both are relatively large species with broader than deep buccal capsules with thick, concave walls and a distinct basal external ring; a large esophageal funnel without a thick cuticular lining; and an excretory pore and cervical papillae at or near the junction of the esophagus and intestine. Although the specimens of C. gyalocephaloides are as long or longer than C. insigne, the former have a longer esophagus, males have shorter spicules and a longer gubernaculum, and females have a shorter vagina. In addition, the dorsal papillae of the genital cone of C. gyalocephaloides are more slender than those of C. insigne and bilateral spines present on the genital cones of C. insigne were not found on the available specimens of C. gyalocephaloides. It was concluded that sufficient morphological differences are present between C. insigne of E. caballus and C. gyalocephaloides of E. burchelli to recognize and distinguish both nematode species.

Prevalence of intestinal parasites was assessed in 1,370 children in Khan Younis Governorate. The age of the children ranged from 6 to 11 yr. Stool samples were examined by direct smear, flotation, and sedimentation techniques. General prevalence of intestinal parasites was 32.4%. Ascaris lumbricoides was found to be the most common parasite (12.8%), followed by Giardia lamblia (8.0%), Entamoeba histolytica (7.0%), Entamoeba coli (3.6%), Trichuris trichiura (1.6%), and Hymenolepis nana (1.0%). Enterobius vermicularis was detected with the scotch tape preparation. Of the examined children, 20.9% were positive for E. vermicularis.

The type host of the acanthocephalan Neoechinorhynchus schmidti from Tabasco, Mexico, was erroneously reported to be the red-eared slider, Trachemys scripta elegans, which does not occur in Tabasco. Examination of specimens from the turtle host series determined that the correct type host is the Tabasco slider, Trachemys venusta.

Two new parasite records are reported for the gidgee skink, Egernia stokesii, from the Warruwarldunha Range (31°54′S; 138°25′E) near Hawker, in the lower Flinders Ranges of South Australia, Australia. Pharyngodon tiliquae and Thelandros trachysauri were recovered from scats collected from captive individuals of E. stokesii. Social aggregation in these lizards and the use of tongue flicking to explore odor cues on scats may enhance parasite transmission.

Three new host records and a new locality record are reported for helminth parasites of Rafinesque's big-eared bat, Corynorhinus rafinesquii, from Little River County, Arkansas, U.S.A. Nine of 10 (90%) of the bats harbored 1 or more of 3 parasites, including 1 (10%) with an immature Vampirolepis sp., 1 (10%) with a third-stage larva of Physaloptera sp., and 9 (90%) with female or ova of Capillaria palmata. All represent new host records for these helminths. Capillaria palmata is reported from Arkansas for the first time.

Three new distributional records and a new host record are reported for protozoan and nematode parasites of the eastern narrowmouth toad, Gastrophryne carolinensis, from northwestern Louisiana and northeastern Texas, U.S.A. Nine of 24 (38%) G. carolinensis harbored 1 or more of 3 parasite species, including 1 (4%) with the myxozoan, Myxidium serotinum, 9 (38%) with the opalinid, Protoopalina allisteri, and 4 (14%) with the nematode, Cosmocercoides variabilis. A new host record is documented for M. serotinum, new geographic records for Louisiana and Texas are reported for P. allisteri, and a new geographic record for Louisiana is reported for C. variabilis.