Angiostrongylus schmidti sp. n. (Nematoda: Metastrongyloidea) from the Rice Rat, Oryzomys palustris, in Florida, with a Key to the Species of Angiostrongylus Kamensky, 1905

Abstract

Angiostrongylus schmidti sp. n., from the the pulmonary arteries of Oryzomys palustris in Florida, can be distinguished from A. tateronae and A. sandarsae by its shorter spicules (215 to 279 ,u) and larger ventroventral rays. A key is given to the species of the genus Angiostrongylus. During a study of the helminth parasites of the rice rat, Oryzomys palustris (Harlan), in north-central Florida, an undescribed species of metastrongylid lungworm was found in the pulmonary arteries. The nematode occurred in six of 53 rats trapped from Paynes Prairie, Alachua County, Florida, and three of 55 rice rats trapped near Cedar Key, Levy County, Florida. The rats were collected in the months of April through August 1970. Following the opinions of Dougherty (1946) and Alicata (1968), the new species is included in the genus Angiostrongylus, despite the presence of a gubernaculum. Only three species of Angiostrongylus have been previously described from North America: A. gubernaculatus Dougherty, 1946, from the badger and striped skunk, and A. blarini Ogren, 1954, and A. michiganensis Ash, 1967, from shrews. This species is named in honor of Dr. Gerald D. Schmidt, in recognition of his contributions to helminth taxonomy. Unless otherwise indicated, all measurements are in microns. Drawings were made with the aid of a Bausch and Lomb microprojector. Angiostrongylus schmidti sp. n. (Figs. 1-5)