Stephen R. Goldberg, Charles R. Bursey, Fred Kraus
Comparative Parasitology 76 (1), 58-83, (1 January 2009) https://doi.org/10.1654/4358.1
KEYWORDS: Papua New Guinea, Cestoda, Digenea, Nematoda, Acanthocephala, Pentastomida, Sphenomorphus, Scincidae, lizard
Three-hundred twenty-four individuals representing 12 species of Sphenomorphus (Scincidae) collected in Papua New Guinea were examined for endoparasites: S. aignanus, S. forbesei, S. fuscolineatus, S. granulatus, S. jobiensis, S. louisiadensis, S. maindroni, S. meyeri, S. minutus, S. nigrolineata, S. simus, and S. solomonis. Found were 2 species of Cestoda, Adenobrechmos greeri, Cylindrotaenia hickmani; 2 species of Digenea, Mesocoelium monas, Zeylanurotrema sphenomorphi; 15 species of Nematoda, 10 species represented by gravid adults, Abbreviata oligopapillata, Aplectana crombiei, Aplectana zweifeli, Cosmocerca zugi, Falcaustra papuensis, Meteterakis crombei, Oswaldocruzia bakeri, Parapharyngodon maplestoni, Physalopteroides milnensis, Pseudorictularia dipsarilis, and 5 represented by immature individuals, Abbreviata sp. (juveniles in cysts), Moaciria sp., Physocephalus sp. (juveniles in cysts), Acuariidae gen. sp. (juveniles in cysts), Rictulariidae gen. sp. (juveniles in cysts); 3 species of Acanthocephala, Acanthocephalus bufonis, Sauracanthorhynchus sphenomorphicola, unidentified cystacanths; and 1 species of Pentastomida, Kiricephalus sp. (nymph). Mean number helminth species per infected skink was 1.78 ± 0.06 SE (range 1–5); mean number of helminth individuals per infected skink was 14.51 ± 2.01 SE (range 1–274). Mean number of helminth species per skink species was 6.58 ± 0.95 SE (range 2–12). The supracommunity of Papua New Guinean sphenomorphine skinks is discussed. Sixty-four new host records are reported. The initial helminth list is established for 8 species.