Experimental Infection of Striped Marshfrog Tadpoles (Limnodynastes peronii) by Ichthyophthirius multifiliis

Abstract

Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, or white spot, is a well known and widely distributed parasite of freshwater fish. However, it is not know whether it can infect other aquatic vertebrates such as amphibians. This study uses a series of laboratory-based experiments to demonstrate that I. multifiliis can infect the tadpole stage of an amphibian, the striped marshfrog (Limnodynastes peronii) of Eastern Australia. The tadpoles did not appear to develop ichthyophthiriasis at low parasite levels (200 parasites per tadpole), but at high parasite levels (2,000 parasites per tadpole) 100% of the tadpoles developed ichthyophthiriasis. This is the first time that it has been demonstrated that I. multifiliis can infect a nonpiscine vertebrate host.