Abstract

Lake Waccamaw, NC, is an unusual Carolina bay home to endemic and rare species. Parasites of the lake-endemic Fundulus waccamensis (Waccamaw Killifish) have not been described previously. In 2011, we collected Waccamaw Killifish (n = 101) by seining and dip netting from 3 sites over 3 seasons (spring, summer, and fall) to investigate the identity, prevalence, and intensity of the parasite-component community. We found 13 taxa of parasites, all of which were new host records, and total prevalence of parasitism = 95%. Infected hosts contained 2.3 ± 1.0 (mean ± SD) parasite species, with the component community composed of 6 ecto- and 7 endoparasites. The most prevalent (70.3%) and highest mean intensity (17.3 metacercariae per host) infections were associated with the generalist trematode Posthodiplostomum minimum.

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