Helminth Parasites of the Raccoon, Procyon lotor in the Southeastern United States

Abstract

During the past 4 years examination of 32.0 raccoons, Procyon lotor, from five southeastern states revealed 39 species of helminth parasites. These were identified and grouped as follows: TREMATODA: 24 species; CESTODA: 3 species; NEMATODA: 11 species; and ACANTHOCEPHALA: 1 species. Differences were noted between the helminthic fauna of hosts from coastal and inland habitats. Helminthological studies on 320 raccoons from five southeastern states during the past 4 years have revealed some new parasitological information that is presented herein along with a summary of pertinent literature. Some comparable studies are those of Chandler (1942a), Babero and Shepperson (1958), and Jordan and Hayes (1959). Chandler recovered eight helminth species from 13 raccoons in east Texas and Babero and Shepperson reported 16 species of helminths from six raccoons in central Georgia. It is interesting to note that Jordan and Hayes obtained only seven species of helminths from 100 raccoons from Ossabaw Island, Georgia. Four species of protozoa, 27 nematodes, 20 trematodes, 7 cestodes, 3 acanthocephalans, and 15 arthropods have been reported as parasites of the raccoon (Clark and Herman, 1959). The hosts were obtained alive when possible. Many specimens were obtained from trappers during the regular trapping seasons. All animals were examined by conventional methods as soon as possible after capture. Exposure of the domestic cat to spargana was effected by mixing the larvae with canned cat food. Starved cats were fed macerated Received for publication 3 October 1963. * Contribution from the Zoology Department, North Carolina Agricultural Experiment Station, Raleigh. Published with the approval of the Director of Research as Paper No. 1702 of the Journal Series. Supported by research grants AI03209-04 and AI05927-01 from the National Institutes of Health, U. S. Public Health Service. 60 lung tissue containing metacercariae of P. procyonis in the same manner. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Thirty-nine species of helminths, 23 of which were trematodes, were recovered from 320 raccoons. Tapeworms were represented bv three species, one of which, Spirometra mansonoides, was present as an adult in the intestine and as a sparganum in subcutaneous tissue. Eleven species of nematodes and one acanthocephalan were recovered (Table I).