Stomach nematodes were collected from 151 live American alligators, Alligator mississippiensis, from 3 lakes (Apopka, Griffin, and Woodruff) in north-central Florida using a gastric lavage technique. Four species were identified: Dujardinascaris waltoni, Ortleppascaris antipini, Brevimulticaecum tenuicolle, and larvae of Contracaecum sp. Of these, D. waltoni was the most prevalent species in all 3 lakes and was more prevalent in Lake Apopka than in the other 2 lakes. This is the first record of Contracaecum larvae in the American alligator and the second record of O. antipini.
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1 October 2009
Nematodes Collected by Gastric Lavage From Live American Alligators, Alligator mississippiensis, in Florida
Amanda Rice Waddle,
John M. Kinsella,
J. Perran Ross,
Edith Rojas-Flores,
H. Franklin Percival,
Donald J. Forrester
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