Cercarial dispersal is the result of fixed action patterns in response to reliable environmental cues. We tested the effect of age on the preference of Echinostoma caproni cercariae for light or dark. Individual cercariae were isolated within 10 min of release from Biomphalaria glabrata and placed in a Carolina™ Deep-Well Slide. Half of the slide (top and bottom) was covered with electrical tape to exclude light. The entire chamber of the slide was observed on low power of a dissecting microscope so the cercaria was readily visible whenever it was in the lighted portion of the slide. The amount of time a cercaria spent in the light and the number of times it crossed from light to dark during a 5-min period at 0, 1, 2, and 4 hr were determined (n  =  20). The mean amount of time cercariae spent in the light declined significantly from immediately after release (127.7 sec) as compared to 1 hr (68.4 sec), 2 hr (51.6 sec), and 4 hr (10.6 sec) postemergence. The same pattern was seen in the average number of times cercariae crossed from light to dark in a 5-min period: 10.7, 7.2, 6.95, and 1.5, respectively. Cercariae showed no preference for light or dark immediately upon release (P  =  0.119), nor was there a correlation between the amount of time spent in the light and the number of crossings at this time period. Cercariae spent a significantly greater amount of time in the dark with age (1–4 hr), and the number of crossings at each of these time periods was highly correlated with the time spent in the light. These findings suggest that light is not an important cue for E. caproni cercariae immediately upon release; however, they develop a strong preference for darker habitats, or an aversion to light, as they age.

Although it is commonly assumed that all gastropod species serve as hosts for larval stages of one or more trematode species, the marine gastropod Crepidula fornicata seems not to serve as such a host. In this study, we sampled populations of the related species Crepidula plana and Crepidula convexa from Rhode Island and Massachusetts, U.S.A., to determine if any individuals served as hosts for larval trematodes. No signs of parasitic infection were found, although up to 14% of co-occurring periwinkles (Littorina littorea) were so infected. Although most research has focused on known associations between larval trematodes and their gastropod hosts, we suggest that additional work focus on understanding why some gastropod species seem immune, or at least relatively immune, to infection by larval trematodes.

Prismatospora cloptoni n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinida: Actinocephalidae: Acanthosporinae) is described from naiads of Anax junius (Odonata: Anisoptera: Aeshnidae) collected from the pond at the Sam Houston State University Center for Biological Field Studies, Walker County, Texas, U.S.A. This is the second species described in the genus, and it confirms the generic hypothesis of Prismatospora. The generic diagnosis is revised to reflect common characters of its constituent species.

In total, 288 slimy sculpins, Cottus cognatus, were collected in September 2003 from 6 Lake Michigan, U.S.A., ports, along with 220 ninespine sticklebacks, Pungitius pungitius, from 3 ports. The ports included Waukegan, Illinois; Port Washington (PW) and Sturgeon Bay (SB), Wisconsin; and Manistique (MS), Frankfort (FF), Ludington (LD), and Saugatuck, Michigan. Echinorhynchus salmonis infected sculpins from 6 ports, Acanthocephalus dirus infected sculpins from 4 ports, and Neoechinorhynchus pungitius infected sculpins from 3 ports. Echinorhynchus salmonis infected significantly more sculpins at PW and at FF than at MS and LD. There were several significant differences in the intensities and abundances of E. salmonis among ports. Acanthocephalus dirus significantly infected more sculpins and had significantly higher abundances at FF than at PW, MS, and LD. Echinorhynchus salmonis, A. dirus, and N. pungitius infected sticklebacks from SB, MS, and FF. Neoechinorhynchus pungitius significantly infected more sculpins and more sticklebacks, and it had significantly higher abundances at MS than at FF. Neoechinorhynchus pungitius was the most common acanthocephalan in C. cognatus and P. pungitius at MS. These acanthocephalan species infecting C. cognatus and P. pungitius corresponded in their occurrence to those organisms that serve as their intermediate hosts found in the stomachs of both fish species. Potential changes in the diet of C. cognatus played a role in significant differences found for E. salmonis and N. pungitius at MS. One of these acanthocephalan species was always the most numerous helminth species found in the digestive tracts of P. pungitius and C. cognatus from these Lake Michigan ports.

We investigated the parasite fauna of the Chinese (Amur) sleeper Perccottus glenii Dybowski, 1877 (Perciformes: Odontobutidae) in the Włocławek Reservoir on the lower Vistula River in Poland over 4 yr (2006–2010). Chinese sleeper was unintentionally introduced from eastern Asia to the European part of Russia (near St. Petersburg) in 1916 and has since spread spontaneously throughout Asia and Europe. It is now a frequent component of the ichthyofauna in the Vistula River drainage. In total, 168 seasonally caught individuals of P. glenii were examined for parasites. The parasite community consisted of 18 taxa, including 2 core species, Trichodina domerguei and Nippotaenia mogurndae, and 3 intermediate species, Diplostomum spathaceum (metacercaria [met.]), Echinochasmus spinosus (met.), and Eustrongylides excisus (larvae), with overall prevalence 47.6%, 38.7%, 16.7%, 10.7%, and 12.5%, respectively. Poland is a new locality record for Diplostomum paracaudum (met.), Eustrongylides tubifex (larvae), and Holostephanus luehei (met.). Due to the pathological effects of infection, larvae of Eustrongylides spp. may be a factor that limits Chinese sleeper population growth in the study area.

The parasite community associated with a population of eastern bluebirds (Sialia sialis) nesting in a grass-dominated habitat in northern Georgia, U.S.A., was surveyed by live examination of adults and nestlings; examination of feces, nesting materials, and blood smears; necropsy; and polymerase chain reaction techniques. During the course of 5 breeding seasons, we found 10 macroparasite species, which included 1 tick species (Ixodes brunneus), 1 louse species (Philopterus sialii), 1 species of hematophagous mite (Dermanyssus prognephilus), and 5 other species not previously reported from eastern bluebirds, including an acanthocephalan (Plagiorhynchus cylindraceus), a species of strongyloid nematode, a cestode (Hymenolepis sp.), a nestling bird fly (Carnus floridensis), and a nest mite (Campephilocoptes sp.); a description of feather mites associated with the population was not included in this report. Overall prevalence of macroparasites was 16.1%. We also detected 5 species of protistan parasites, including Haemoproteus fallisi, Plasmodium relictum, Trypanosoma avium, and 2 others, an Atoxoplasma sp. and a Sarcocystis sp., which represent new host–parasite records. One bird tested positive for West Nile virus and for St. Louis encephalitis virus. More than 50% of the birds examined were infected with 1 or more microparasites. Prevalence of microparasites varied by examination method employed. An updated list of known parasites of eastern bluebirds gathered from published literature and database searches is provided.

One hundred rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta), including 30 each of juvenile males and females, and 20 each of adult males and females, were collected in October 2006 in northeast Iceland to study their parasite fauna. Fourteen different parasite species were identified: 6 endoparasites (including the protozoans Eimeria muta, Eimeria rjupa; the heterokontophyt Blastocystis sp.; the nematodes Capillaria caudinflata and Trichostrongylus tenuis; and the cestode Passerilepis serpentulus) and 8 ectoparasites (including the feather mites Metamicrolichus islandicus, Strelkoviacarus holoaspis, Tetraolichus lagopi, and Myialges borealis; the feather lice Goniodes lagopi, Lagopoecus affinis, and Amyrsidea lagopi; and the louse fly Ornithomya chloropus). Blastocystis sp., P. serpentulus and A. lagopi are new host records. All parasite species showed aggregated distributions. Six species, E. rjupa, P. serpentulus, M. islandicus, G. lagopi, L. affinis, and O. chloropus, were more prevalent in juveniles than in adults, and 2 species, Blastocystis sp. and T. tenuis, were more prevalent in adults than in juveniles. The remaining species did not show age-related differences in prevalence. Blastocystis sp. is the only possible zoonotic parasite.

Thirty-one specimens from 7 lizard species (Cnemidophorus ocellifer, Hemidactylus brasilianus, Hemidactylus mabouia, Iguana iguana, Tropidurus hispidus, Tropidurus semitaeniatus, and Phyllopezus pollicaris) captured in 4 localities at the Caatinga biomes from the states of Ceará and Piauí, northeastern Brazil, were surveyed for endoparasites. Eight nematode species (Parapharyngodon sceleratus, Parapharyngodon sp., Physaloptera lutzi, Physaloptera retusa, Physalopteroides venancioi, Rhabdias sp., Spauligodon oxkutzcabiensis, and Strongyluris oscari) were recovered. We report 6 new host records and 7 new locality records.

Eleven of 113 (10%) lizards representing 6 of the 17 species (Anolis fuscoauratus, Anolis trachyderma, Plica umbra, Kentropyx pelviceps, Arthrosaura reticulata, and Mabuya nigropunctata) collected in the lower Moa River forest, in the Amazon rainforest in the Brazilian state of Acre, were infected with helminths in the gastrointestinal tracts. The nematodes recovered from lizards were Physaloptera lutzi, Physaloptera retusa, and Physalopteroides venancioi. Three new host records and two new locality records are reported.

The gastrointestinal helminths from 5 species of lizards from Baja California del Sur were examined: Bipes biporus (Bipedidae), Callisaurus draconoides, Uta stansburiana (Phrynosomatidae), Aspidoscelis hyperythrus, and Aspidoscelis maximus (Teiidae). The helminth community of lizards from Baja California del Sur is dominated primarily by generalist helminths that also parasitize lizard species in other localities. This may reflect the geological history of Baja California, which was formerly attached to the mainland of western Mexico. We report 6 new helminth host records and 2 new locality records.

Four hundred twenty-six specimens representing 13 species of Anolis, A. auratus, A. biporcatus, A. capito, A. frenatus, A. humilis, A. limifrons, A. lionotus, A. pachypus, A. pentaprion, A. poecilopus, A. townsendi, A. tropidogaster, and A. woodi, from Central America were examined for metazoan endoparasites. Five species of Digenea (Brachycoelium salamandrae, Mesocoelium monas, Parallopharynx arctus, Parallopharynx gonzalezi, and Urotrema shirleyae), 2 species of Cestoda (Mathevotaenia panamaensis and tetrathyridia of Mesocestoides sp.), 18 species of Nematoda (mature individuals of Africana telfordi, Cosmocercoides variabilis, Cyrtosomum penneri, Entomelas duellmani, Falcaustra costaricae, Hedruris heyeri, Oswaldocruzia nicaraguensis, Oswaldofilaria brevicaudata, Parapharyngodon cubensis, Physaloptera retusa, Piratuba digiticauda, Rhabdias anolis, Rhabdias nicaraguensis, Skrjabinelazia galliardi, Skrjabinelazia intermedia, Spauligodon anolis, Strongyluris panamaensis, and ascaridid larvae), 3 species of Acanthocephala (Acanthocephalus saurius and centrorhynchid and oligacanthorhynchid cystacanths), and 1 species of Pentastomida (nymphs of Kiricephalus sp.) were found. Fifty-five new host records and 3 new locality records are reported. Central American anoles harbor generalist helminths that infect a broad spectrum of amphibian and reptilian hosts. The component helminth community of Central American anoles is distinct from the component helminth community reported for Caribbean, Mexican, North American, and South American anole populations.

Although many studies have been conducted concerning human coprolites, there is a paucity of archaeohelminthological data from nonhuman animals. Eight coprolite samples were examined from dogs associated with the Chiribaya culture, a pre-Columbian agrarian and pastoral society that inhabited the lower and middle regions of the Osmore river in southern Peru between about 700 and 1476 a.d. Tapeworm eggs (Diphyllobothrium sp.) were observed in 3 coprolites. Eggs of the nematodes Toxocara canis, Trichuris vulpis, and Spirocerca lupi were observed in 3, 2, and 1 coprolites respectively. This constitutes the first report of Diphyllobothrium sp., T. canis, and S. lupi from pre-Columbian dogs in the Americas.

The Parasitology Department of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico, digitized its glass slide collection to create a virtual microscope to help students learn key elements of parasite structures at times when the regular light microscopes are not available. The immediate aims of this project were to scan the glass slides of protozoans, helminths, and arthropods and to carry out a survey among students to evaluate the virtual slides in a side-by-side comparison with the regular microscope laboratory. Results indicated that the virtual microscope was enthusiastically received, and survey questions revealed improved time and increased student collaboration.

New collections of Polylekithum from catfishes in the Big Thicket National Preserve, Texas, U.S.A., provided material for a redescription of Polylekithum catahoulensis and an evaluation of the characters used to diagnose species in the genus. The new collections demonstrated that the relative size of the forebody is not a reliable diagnostic feature of P. catahoulensis, because the feature changes linearly as worms grow; similarly, the location of the maximum width of worms is not diagnostic because it depends on the number of eggs in the uterus. However, egg size reliably distinguishes between P. catahoulensis (small eggs) and Polylekithum ictaluri (large eggs). Other morphometric and relational characteristics did not distinguish between species.

The prevalences of 2 species of isosporid coccidia are reported from 3 of 6 steppe polecats, Mustela eversmanii Lesson, 1827, trapped in an alpine meadow of the Haibei area, Qinghai Province, China, during the summer of 2010. The structures of the sporulated oocysts allowed us to determine that they represented 2 forms not reported since their original description in Kazakhstan by Svanbaev (1956) as Isospora eversmanni and Isospora pavlovskyi. However, the evidence continues to accumulate that Isospora species infecting mammals that have thick walls and do not have a Stieda body on their sporocysts should be transferred to Cystoisospora Frenkel, 1977; thus, we have emended the names to reflect that transfer. In addition, we provide detailed mensural data and photomicrographs of sporulated oocysts, both lacking in their modest original descriptions, to help illustrate the differences seen between these species. We also submitted phototypes of a sporulated oocyst of each species to the United States National Parasite Collection (USNPC), and deposited a symbiotype host in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Museum.

Isospora jaracimrmani Modrý and Koudela is reported for the second time from the Yemen chameleon, Chamaeleo calyptratus. During November 1992, a captive C. calyptratus housed at the Dallas Zoo, Dallas County, Texas, U.S.A., was found to be passing oocysts of I. jaracimrmani. The original description of I. jaracimrmani was based on 18/43 (42%) captive specimens of C. calyptratus from the Czech Republic. This is the first time I. jaracimrmani has been reported from the United States. Comparative measurements and a photomicrograph of our isolate are included.

This is the first record of the cosmocercid nematode, Cosmocercella minor, in Argentina in the host Phyllomedusa hypochondrialis, the orange-legged Leaf Frog. The species was observed using light and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and relevant features are described, including in males the presence of subventral adanal alae and absence of postanal caudal alae, fine structure of the vesiculated rosettes, and structure of proximal end of spicules; and in females confirmation of their amphidelphic condition.

Twenty-two Laudakia caucasia (Agamidae) from Iran were examined for helminths and found to harbor 3 species of Nematoda: Skrjabinodon pigmentatus, Spauligodon lacertae, and Thelandros baylisi. Laudakia caucasia represents a new host record for Sk. pigmentatus and Sp. lacertae; Iran is a new locality record for all 3 nematode species. Thelandros baylisi had the highest prevalence of infection (91%) followed by Sk. pigmentatus (45%) and Sp. lacertae (36%).

A helminthological examination of the black-necked agama, Acanthocercus atricollis, from the Democratic Republic of the Congo revealed the presence of one species of Digenea, Mesocoelium monas; one species of Cestoda, Oochoristica truncata; and three species of Nematoda, adults of Pseudabbreviata amaniensis and Strongyluris gigas and one ascarid larva. Strongyluris gigas had the highest prevalence (87%) and P. amaniensis had the highest mean intensity (38.7 ± 52.6 SD). All are generalist helminths that infect lizard species but represent new parasite records for A. atricollis.