A total of 5 helminth species (3 Nematoda: Rhabdochona cotti, Freitascapillaria laticauda, Cystidicoloides ephemeridarum; 2 Trematoda: Phyllodistomum undulans, Crepidostomum sp.) infected sculpins, Cottus spp., from 3 Maryland creeks in November 2005 and May 2006. Gravid individuals of R. cotti and P. undulans occurred in blue-ridge sculpin, Cottus caeruleomentum, from Little Fishing Creek; gravid individuals of F. laticauda and R. cotti occurred in C. caeruleomentum and in Potomac sculpin, Cottus girardi, from Blue Lick Run, respectively; and gravid R. cotti occurred in mottled sculpin, Cottus bairdii, from Little Bear Creek. One immature female capillariid-like nematode occurred in C. girardi from Blue Lick Run. Rhabdochona cotti in C. caeruleomentum from Little Fishing Creek and in C. bairdii from Little Bear Creek had the highest prevalence, mean intensity, and mean abundance, followed by P. undulans in C. caeruleomentum from Little Fishing Creek. The mean parasite species richness values were low and ranged from 0.39 to 1.27 in the Cottus spp. This is the first report of parasites from C. girardi, and the second report of parasites from C. caeruleomentum in North America.
How to translate text using browser tools
1 January 2010
Helminth Parasites of Sculpins, Cottus spp. (Teleostei, Cottidae) from Three Maryland Creeks, U.S.A
Patrick M. Muzzall,
Laura Koslosky
ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE
Comparative Parasitology
Vol. 77 • No. 1
January 2010
Vol. 77 • No. 1
January 2010
Blue Lick Run
Cottus bairdii
Cottus caeruleomentum
Cottus girardi
Crepidostomum sp
Cystidicoloides ephemeridarum
Freitascapillaria laticauda