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ARS Home » Plains Area » Fargo, North Dakota » Edward T. Schafer Agricultural Research Center » Food Animal Metabolism Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #136188
Title: ASSESSMENT OF PARASITE ABUNDANCE AND HEALTH OF NATIVE FROGS RELATIVE TO SURROUNDING LAND USE IN ND AND MN.

Author
item GACKLE, N - NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIV
item Shappell, Nancy
item GRIER, J - NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIV.

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/1/2002
Publication Date: 1/3/2002
Citation: Gackle, N.G., Shappell, N.W., Grier, J. 2002. Assessment of parasite abundance and health of native frogs relative to surrounding land use in ND and MN. [abstract]. American Society of Ichthyologists & Herpetologists, July 3-8, 2002, Kansas City, MO.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Recognizing parasites as a possible contributor to amphibian malformations and decline, the goals of the field study were to: 1) determine the relative abundance of various metacercariae and mesocercariae in metamorph Rana pipiens and other native anurans captured in ND and MN; 2) evaluate land use effect on snail populations, frog parasite loads, and frog health; 3) assess potential correlations between parasite burdens and malformations in the wild. Body weight (BWT), snout to vent length (SVL), sex, and parasites were recorded from 344 frogs necropsied from 22 different sites during the summer of 2001. Abnormal northern leopard frog metamorphs (16 of 198) were frozen and radiographs were taken to determine origin of skeletal deformities (predation or malformation). Of the fifteen categories of parasites identified, only two species of parasites, Fibricola cratera and Manodistomum sp., were found at all sites. High burdens of these parasites were found in frogs of both high and low SVL to BWT ratios (robust and undersized frogs, respectively). Ribeiroia ondatrae, a parasite shown to induce malformations in Pacific treefrogs and western toads under laboratory conditions, was present at four sites. No correlation was found between parasite burden, land use, and malformations in Rana pipiens.