First survey of nematode parasites in introduced American Bullfrogs (Lithobates catesbeianus) in Argentina

We provide the first report of nematode parasites from the introduced American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus) in San Juan Province, Argentina. Sixteen individuals (7 adult females, 6 adult males, and 3 juveniles) of L. catesbeianus were studied. Thirteen (81.3%) of the frogs harbored 2 species of nematodes: larvae of Contracaecum sp. (Nematoda, Anisakidae) in the serosal surface of the stomach wall and at the gastroduodenal junction, and adults of Falcaustra sanjuanensis (Nematoda, Kathlaniidae)in the large intestine. Previous studies of introduced populations of American bullfrogs in Argentina have focused on population structure, trophic ecology, and their impacts on native amphibian and other vertebrate populations. More studies of their parasites need to be conducted in South America in general, and in Argentina specifically, in order to assess the extent to which bullfrogs either introduce new parasites or are infected by native parasites and to determine the potential impacts of nonnative parasites on native frog speciesFil: Gonzalez, Cynthya Elizabeth. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Centro de Ecología Aplicada del Litoral. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Centro de Ecología Aplicada del Litoral; ArgentinaFil: Quiroga, Lorena Beatriz. Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Facultad de Filosofía, Humanidades y Artes. Instituto de Ciencias Básicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Sanabria, Eduardo Alfredo. Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Facultad de Filosofía, Humanidades y Artes. Instituto de Ciencias Básicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin