Notes on Diplostomulum ambystomae n. sp.

Abstract

During the period from October, 1934, to October, 1935, many species of salamanders, found around Durham, North Carolina, were examined for parasites. A new agamodistome, Diplostomulum ambystomae, was found in Ambystoma opacum (Gravenhorst) and Ambystoma maculatum (Shaw). This parasite was reported, but not described, by Mann (1932) who found 17 out of 21 salamanders (A. opacum) infested with an average of 113.42 parasites referred to as Diplostomulum sp. Out of 110 specimens of A. opacum examined by us 78 were infected with an average of 142.35 diplostomula per host. As many as 743 were found in a single salamander. One out of 17 specimens of A. maculatum harbored 41 of the parasites. The parasite was found only in these two species although the following other salamanders from the vicinity of Durham were examined in the number of specimens indicated: Desmognathus fuscus fuscus (Rafinesque), 96; Pseudotriton ruber ruber (Sonnini), 10; P. montanus montanus (Baird), 2; Eurycea bislineata cirrigera (Green), 1; Triturus viridescens viridescens (Rafinesque), 27; Plethodon cinereus (Green), 22; P. glutinosus (Green), 79. Mann (1932) records the parasite from A. opacum only. Salamanders were collected in western North Carolina around Mt.