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Helminth community and host dynamics in northern bobwhites from the Rolling Plains Ecoregion, U.S.A.

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2018

A. Bruno*
Affiliation:
Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, 700 University Boulevard, MSC 218, Kingsville, Texas 78363, USA
A.M. Fedynich
Affiliation:
Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, 700 University Boulevard, MSC 218, Kingsville, Texas 78363, USA
D. Rollins
Affiliation:
Rolling Plains Quail Research Foundation, P.O. Box 61517, San Angelo, Texas, 76906, USA
D.B. Wester
Affiliation:
Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, 700 University Boulevard, MSC 218, Kingsville, Texas 78363, USA
*
Author for correspondence: A. Bruno, E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract

One hundred and sixty-one northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus; hereafter ‘bobwhite’) were examined from the Rolling Plains ecoregion of Texas and western Oklahoma from 2011 to 2013. Complete necropsies yielded 13 species, of which two are new host (Gongylonema phasianella) and region (Eucoleus contortus) records and three (Dispharynx nasuta, Tetrameres pattersoni and Oxyspirura petrowi) are known to cause morbidity and mortality. Of the species found, Aulonocephalus pennula commonly occurred, Oxyspirura petrowi was intermediate in prevalence, and the remaining species were rare. Species richness was similar compared to studies from the southeastern U.S., but higher than studies from the same region. In addition, 12 of the 13 species were heteroxenous helminths, supporting the theory that heteroxenous helminths in semi-arid regions are more successful than monoxenous helminths. Prevalence and abundance of A. pennula and O. petrowi were higher in adult bobwhites than in juveniles. Abundance of A. pennula and O. petrowi was higher at southern locations compared to northern locations in the study area. Our study is the first to provide a current assessment of the bobwhite helminth community across the Rolling Plains ecoregion of the U.S.

Type
Research Paper
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2018 

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