Trematodes of New Jersey Dogs and Cats

Abstract

During the period from 1959 to 1964 the following nine species of trematodes were found in New Jersey cats and dogs: Eurytrema procyonis, Parametorchis complexus, Phagicola longus, Cryptocotyle concava, C. lingua, Echinochasmus schwartzi, Paragonimus kellicotti, Alaria canis, and A. marcianae. E. schwartzi, and A. marcianae are redescribed. Trematodes are reported relatively infrequently from dogs and cats in North America, whereas nematode and cestode infections are rather common. During the period from 1959 to 1964 we found 23 fluke infections in animals examined in our laboratory. We probably missed others, because we used only the zinc sulfate flotation technique in stool examinations in our search for nematode infections, and operculated eggs fail to float in many cases. The dogs and cats came from central New Jersey, particularly Monmouth and Burlington counties. We cannot determine the exact locality of any specific animal, for the dealer who supplies us collects strays throughout the area. Living flukes from these animals were relaxed in menthol solution prior to fixation, with the result that relatively few were distorted. Permanent preparations of a number of these flukes were deposited in the USNM Helm. Coll., Beltsville, Maryland, and their accession numbers are given below. The dates after the accession numbers refer to the dates the flukes