Eighty-three Vermilion snappers (Rhomboplites aurorubens) from the northern Gulf of Mexico and 1 from off Puerto Rico, U.S.A., were examined for parasites. The survey resulted in recovery of 2 species of Monogenea: Euryhaliotrema tubocirrus and Microcotyloides incisa; 6 species of Digenea: Parahemiurus merus, Lecithochirium floridense, Hirudinella sp., Aponurus laguncula, Prosogonotrema bilabiatum, Preptetos trulla; 3 species of Nematoda: Hysterothylacium reliquens, Cucullanus pargi, unidentified Cucullanidae; and 3 species of Copepoda: 1 species in Chondracanthidae, 1 species in Caligidae, and Hatschekia sp. Stomach parasites dominated the assemblage with Pro. bilabiatum exhibiting the greatest prevalence (63.9%) and A. laguncula exhibiting the greatest mean intensity (4.6 parasites/infected host ± 6.4 SD) among parasites. Preptetos trulla and Hy. reliquens occurred at both locations and represented the only parasites found in the fish from Puerto Rico, U.S.A. Rhomboplites aurorubens represents a new host record for at least 8 of the parasites (Pa. merus, L. floridense, Hirudinella sp., Hy. reliquens). Ribosomal DNA sequences from 7 of the helminth species were generated and made available in the National Institutes of Health genetic sequence database (GenBank).

Although there is a large literature base reporting Placobdella ornata utilizing numerous turtle host species, those reports are all based on misidentifications of the leech resulting from taxonomic confusion in the literature and are thus invalid. In the original description of Clepsine phalera (junior synonym of P. ornata), it was suggested that the stinkpot turtle, Sternotherus odoratus, is a host of P. ornata. Nevertheless, no host has been definitively documented for P. ornata. When introduced to S. odoratus in the laboratory, individuals of P. ornata readily attached and fed. Duration of feeding was short, less than 24 hr. Individuals of P. ornata did not feed on various amphibians, fish, or a human.

Helobdella octatestisaca Lai and Chang, 2009, was originally described from Taiwan where it is believed to have been introduced. It has subsequently been reported from throughout much of Mexico. Helobdella octatestisaca was collected from a small pond in Walker County, Texas, U.S.A., representing the first report of this species from the United States. Helobdella octatestisaca occurred primarily associated with red-eared slider turtles, Trachemys scripta, and common mud turtles, Kinosternon subrubrum. Individuals of H. octatestisaca were frequently found within clusters of juveniles of the common turtle leech, Placobdella parasitica, and were often attached to individuals of P. parasitica. It was hypothesized that H. octatestisaca is utilizing P. parasitica as a source of food and that Helobdella spp. preferentially associate with turtles, thereby gaining enhanced access to prey items.

Species richness and composition of the metazoan parasite communities of 2 ictalurid catfishes (yellow bullhead [Ameiurus natalis] and channel catfish [Ictalurus punctatus]) were compared from within the Big Thicket National Preserve in southeastern Texas, U.S.A., to areas outside the preserve. Ninety-five fishes were sampled from 2009 to 2013 from 6 sites each inside and outside the Preserve, and 31 species of parasites were recovered (27 species from inside and 14 species from outside). Comparison of species accumulation curves utilizing recently developed methods demonstrated significant differences in the species richness and composition, the abundance distributions for parasite communities as a whole, or both, and of the community of channel catfish considered alone. Additional univariate and multivariate analyses and observations confirmed significant differences in the species composition and abundance of these parasite communities. The parasite community inside the Preserve is dominated by adult endohelminths representing both ictalurid specialists that are either absent or less abundant outside the Preserve. Additionally, generalist parasites more commonly parasitizing other fishes were more speciose and abundant inside the Preserve. The differences observed in the present investigation suggest that the waters of the Big Thicket National Preserve harbor more diverse and abundant fish, invertebrate communities, or both, thus leading to higher diversity and abundance of their parasite communities.

Macroderoides luki n. sp. (Trematoda: Macroderoididae) is described from the intestine of spotted gar (Lepisosteus oculatus) collected from multiple locales on the Trinity River in eastern Texas, U.S.A. Members of the new species are most similar to Macroderoides trilobatus in that they possess an ovary composed of 3 lobes rather than an undivided ovary as in the other 6 species in North America. In the new species, the distance between the cirrus sac and ovary is far greater, the eggs are almost twice the size, and the body is longer than in M. trilobatus. This is the eighth species of Macroderoides named in North America and the largest specimens known from this group.

Caecincola cookorum n. sp. is described from the intestine of white crappie (Pomoxis annularis) collected from B. A. Steinhagen Reservoir in Tyler County, Texas, U.S.A. Worms of the new species possess ceca that extend past the posterior testis, whereas members of the other species in the genus (Caecincola autumnae, Caecincola latostoma, Caecincola longiscens, Caecincola parvulus, and Caecincola wakullata) have ceca that terminate before the end of the posterior testis. This is the second species of Caecincola described from white crappie from rivers draining into the Gulf of Mexico (C. longiscens from Mississippi being the other), and it is possible that a large fraction of the species-level diversity in this genus remains to be discovered.

Light geese (Chen caerulescens caerulescens and Chen rossii) have recently come into contact along a shared migration route. Parasite burdens were compared by examining the digestive tracts of 48 newly comigrating light geese (38 lesser snow geese and 10 Ross’ geese) collected from 4 February to 3 March, 2012 during spring migration through central Illinois. Eight helminth taxa, including four species of Nematoda (Amidostomum sp., Epomidiostomum sp., Heterakis dispar, Trichostrongylus tenuis), two species of Trematoda (Echinostoma revolutum, Zygocotyle lunata), and two species of Cestoda (Cestoda sp. A, Cestoda sp. B), were recovered. Five of the eight helminth taxa were common in both species of host while Cestoda sp. B, Z. lunata, and E. revolutum were only found in lesser snow geese. Nematodes dominated assemblages, and all had a direct life cycle. Prevalences ranged from 22% (Amidostomum sp., C. rossii) to 100% (Epomidiostomum sp., C. c. caerulescens, T. tenuis, and C. rossii). Trematodes, which use an indirect life cycle, were relatively rare with a prevalence less than 10%. Host species and age showed significant effects on nematode composition whereas host sex had no effect. The prevalence of H. dispar was higher in adults than in juveniles for both species. Prevalence and mean intensity of T. tenuis was higher in Ross’ geese than in lesser snow geese, and mean intensity was higher in juvenile than in adult Ross’ geese. Patterns generally followed historic records, but infection levels were lower than previous reports from wintering and breeding ground surveys. While comigrating Ross’ geese and lesser snow geese share similar parasite assemblages overall, multivariate analysis showed clear discrimination between species and with age, indicating that the recent shift in migration patterns has not resulted in a homogenization of their parasite communities.

Between March 2004 and December 2006, and again between March 2010 and June 2013, we examined a total of 70 individual herpetofaunal members from 9 counties and 4 biotic provinces of Texas for coccidians, helminths, and ectoparasites. Twenty-three of 42 (55%) of the amphibians and four of 28 (14%) of the reptiles were infected/infested including Great Plains narrowmouth toad (Gastrophryne olivacea) with Aplectana incerta; Coastal Plain toad (Incilius nebulifer) with A. incerta and Mesocoelium cf. monodi; Rio Grande leopard frog (Lithobates berlandieri) and Plains leopard frog (Lithobates blairi) with Hannemania dunni; spring peeper (Pseudacris crucifer) with acuariid larvae; prairie kingsnake (Lampropeltis calligaster calligaster) with Caryospora duszynskii; Texas blind snake (Rena dulcis) with Parapharyngodon sp.; Texas banded gecko (Coleonyx brevis) with Spauligodon sp.; and Texas patchnose snake (Salvadora grahamiae lineata) multiply infected with Renifer aniarum, Spauligodon goldbergi, and an acanthocephalan cystacanth. Eight new host and 2 new distributional records are reported herein.

A total of 55 adult white bass, Morone chrysops (Rafinesque, 1820) (Moronidae), collected in May and June 2014 from Anchor Bay, Lake St. Clair, Michigan, U.S.A., were examined for intestinal helminths. Of those found, 2 trematode species (Allacanthochasmus artus and Allacanthochasmus varius) were of interest due to their high prevalences and intensities. Allacanthochasmus artus infected all white bass with a mean intensity ± SD of 203.5 ± 243.9, and A. varius infected 53 white bass with a mean intensity ± SD of 263.9 ± 202.1 and mean abundance ± SD of 262.8 ± 198.1. Individuals of A. artus and A. varius were primarily found in the anterior and posterior intestine, respectively. Fifty-three white bass were concurrently infected with A. artus and A. varius. Allacanthochasmus artus and A. varius are reported for the first time from white bass in Lake St. Clair, and their mean intensities are the highest reported to date in this fish host from the Great Lakes.

A total of 35 adult Eastern gray treefrogs, Hyla versicolor LeConte, 1825, was collected in May 2015 from 1 pond in the Kellogg Biological Station Lux Arbor Reserve in the lower Peninsula of southwestern Michigan, U.S.A., and examined for helminths. Three helminth species (1 Monogenea, Polystoma nearcticum; 1 Digenea, Clinostomum sp.; and 1 Nematoda, Cosmocercoides variabilis) were found in adult treefrogs. Polystoma nearcticum is reported for the first time in Michigan and had the highest prevalence (54%), with a mean intensity of 2.4. Cosmocercoides variabilis had the highest mean intensity (52.6) and the second highest prevalence (40%). Clinostomum sp. infected only 1 frog. Twenty-nine tadpoles of gray treefrogs were collected in June 2015 from the same pond that adults were collected from and examined for helminths. One branchial form of P. nearcticum was found on the gill of 1 tadpole. The nematode Gyrinicola batrachiensis infected 55% of the tadpoles with a mean intensity of 2.8. This study is the first survey of the parasites of Eastern gray treefrogs in Michigan.

The cymothoid isopod Norileca indica is recorded from the branchial cavites of bigeye scad, Selar crumenophthalmus, and redtail scad, Decapterus kurroides (Perciformes: Carangidae), in the Panay Gulf, Province of Iloilo, the Philippines. The overall prevalence and mean intensity of N. indica were 40.7% and 1.05 for S. crumenophthalmus and 100% and 1.0 for D. kurroides. The majority of the specimens of N. indica from both host fishes were ovigerous females. This record represents the first report of N. indica from these carangids in the Philippines, and D. kurroides is a new host.

The branchiuran parasite Argulus vittatus (Crustacea: Branchiura: Argulidae) was collected from the pectoral fin of the axillary bream Pagellus acarne, comber Serranus cabrilla, and greater amberjack Seriola dumerili from the northern coasts of Sicily (Mediterranean Sea), Italy. Pagellus acarne, Serranus cabrilla, and Seriola dumerili are new hosts for A. vittatus.

We examined 122 specimens of Chrysomus ruficapillus (Vieillot, 1819) from southern Brazil for nasal mites. The mites, Sternostoma strandtmanni Furman, 1957; Ptilonyssus sairae (Castro, 1948); Ptilonyssus icteridius (Strandtmann and Furman, 1956); and Ptilonyssus sp. were identified. Ptilonyssus sairae was the most prevalent (14.8%), and S. strandtmanni had the highest mean infection intensity (5.53). Co-infections occurred in 15 hosts, and P. sairae and P. icteridius were simultaneously present in 11 birds. This is the first record of S. strandtmanni and P. sairae in C. ruficapillus and the southernmost record of P. icteridius in the Americas.

Forty-five specimens of Inanga, Galaxias maculatus, were collected during December 2013 and January 2014 from the Lingue River in southern Chile and examined for eukaryotic parasites. Thirty-seven (82.2%) of the fish were infected with 1 to 4 taxa with a mean of 1.7 taxa per host. All parasites detected in G. maculatus were recorded for the first time in the Lingue River, and cysts of Gordiids were determined for the first time in this host species. Also recorded for the first time in Chile were Stephanoprora uruguayense metacercariae and Diplodon chilensis glochidia on host gills, as well as plasmodia of Myxobolus sp. in the intestinal wall, stomach, and liver of G. maculatus. Other parasites recorded were Trichodina sp., Myxobolus magellanicus, Contracaecum sp., and Acanthocephalus tumescens. The prevalence (53.3%) and mean intensity (31.1 ± SD 95.9 cyst/host) of infection by cysts of Gordiids were the highest among the identified parasites.