Helminth Parasites of the Northern Studfish, Fundulus catenatus (Cypriniformes: Fundulidae) from the Ouachita and Ozark Mountains of Arkansas, U.S.A.

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Between May 2014 and September 2014, 50 Northern Studfish, Fundulus catenatus, were collected from sites in the interior highlands of the Ouachita Mountains (n = 25) and Ozark Mountains (n = 25) of Arkansas and examined for helminths. Twenty-three (46%) of the northern studfish, including 7 (28%) from the Ouachitas and 23 (92%) from the Ozarks were infected with helminths. These included 8 (16%) with Neascus-type metacercariae (black grub), 4 (8%) with metacercaria of Clinostomum marginatum, 8 (16%) with Creptotrema sp., 1 (2%) with Posthodiplostomum minimum, 3 (6%) with immature Proteocephalus sp., 9 (18%) with larval Eustrongylides sp., 1 (2%) with Rhabdochona cascadilla, 2 (4%) with larval Spinitectus sp., and 17 (34%) with acanthocephalan cystacanths. In addition, 6 of 8 individuals (75%) from one site in the Ouachitas harbored the monogenean, Salsuginus fundulus. We document new host records for most of these helminths and new distributional records for Creptotrema sp., Eustrongylides ...