Diplostomulum trituri (Trematoda: diplostomatidae) a larval strigeoid trematode in the brain and cranial case of the newt, Notophthalmus viridescens (Rafinesque)

<u>Diplostomulum trituri</u> is associated with pathological damage which includes increased size of the ventricles and loss of neural tissue. Neurophysiological symptoms of parasitism include sluggish behavior and poor reflexes. Black material was observed in the lumen of the intestinal ceca. Several mesocercariae were observed to be attached to the neural tissue by their oral sucker. In 150 newts examined from Mountain Lake, Giles County, Virginia, the incidence of infection with <u>D. trituri</u> was 100 percent. The total number of parasites in the brain and surrounding area ranged from 2 to 300. The number of mesocercariae in the ventricles of the brain was approximated to range from 5 to 30. The attempts to recover the encysted larval stage and/or adult failed using Japanese quail, mallard ducks, raccoon, muskrat, opossum, domestic cat, and fish from families Salmonidae, Catostomidae, Cyprinidae, and Centrarchidae as experimental definitive hosts for <u>Diplostomulum trituri</u>.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Zoology

Department dc:contributor.department

Zoology

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

1974

Author dc:creator

• Whitlock, Suzanne Alice

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Dc Identifier Other

etd-07072010-020238

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/43559