Authors: Andrew K Davis William A Hopkins
Publish Date: 2012/08/25
Volume: 112, Issue: 1, Pages: 453-456
Abstract
Eastern hellbender salamanders Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis are declining in North America and because of this the health status of individuals in several populations is closely monitored by researchers During a health survey of hellbenders from a stream in Smyth County VA USA we examined Giemsastained blood smears of 71 animals captured during 2011 for the presence of blood parasites We discovered an unknown species of trypanosome that was apparently widespread within this population 40 of the 71 individuals 563 were infected There are seven known trypanosome species of caudate amphibians based on microscopic examination the parasite we observed appeared most similar to Trypanosoma cryptobranchi which was reported in this species only once before 76 years ago from a single animal apparently captured in Iowa Given that some trypanosomes can adversely affect the health of their hosts we recommend further monitoring be done in this and other hellbender populations to determine the geographic extent of the parasite and its effects on its increasingly rare hostWe thank Dr Michael Yabsley for his help in identifying the hellbender parasite We also thank Dr Sarah DuRant Mark Hepner Brittney Hopkins and Cathy Bodinof for assistance in capturing the hellbenders Cathy Bodinof also provided helpful comments for improving the manuscript
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