A Study of the Seasonal Incidence of the Arthropod & Helminth Parasites of the Prairie Vole, Microtus Ochrogaster, & the Wood Mouse, Peromyscus Leucopus, in an Area of Warren County, Kentucky

One-hundred and fifty Microtus ochrogaster and one-hundred and fifty-five Peromyscus leucopus were examined for arthropod and helminth parasites during a study from November, 1970 through November, 1971. The mean monthly burdens, per host, of each species of parasite and observations on the seasonal incidence of each species are reported. Nineteen species of arthropod parasites were found; these include eight species of mites, two of chiggers, one of ticks, two of lice, five of fleas, and one of hots. Most of these species exhibited very little host specificity, although there was a definite host preference. Heavier ectoparasite burdens were found on M. ochrogaster than P. leucopus. The majority of the ectoparasites of M. ochrogaster were mites, with the predominate species being Dermacarus hypudaei and Listrophorus leukorti. Chiggers comprised the largest portion of the ectoparasite burden of P. leucopus. The species found were Euschoengastia peromysci and Neotrombicula caviola. Three species of cestodes and three species of nematodes were found in M. ochrogaster. The most common helminth parasites were the cestode species Paranoplocephala variabilis and Aprostatandrya macrocephala. Four species of nematodes were found in P. leucopus. The most common species was Syphacia peromysci. Immature Thelazia sp. were found under the eyelids of six P. leucobus. This nematode has not been previously reported for the genus Peromyscus