Gastrointestinal helminths from fifteen species of Litoria and Nyctimystes (Anura: Hylidae) from Papua New Guinea

Abstract

Three hundred and ninety‐nine individuals representing 10 species of Litoria and five species of Nyctimystes (Hylidae), L. arfakiana, L. bibonius, L. eucnemis, L. genimaculata, L. impura, L. infrafrenata, L. modica, L. nasuta, L. thesaurensis, L. wollastoni, N. gularis, N. kubori, N. papua, N. pulcher and N. semipalmatus collected in Papua New Guinea were examined for helminths. Gravid individuals representing one species of Monogenea (Parapolystoma bulliense), one species of Digenea (Mesocoelium monas), 18 species of Nematoda (Aplectana krausi, Aplectana macintoshi, Aplectana zweifeli, Cosmocerca novaeguineae, Falcaustra papuensis, Icosiella papuensis, Maxvachonia adamsoni, Maxvachonia ewersi, Meteterakis crombiei, Moaciria moraveci, Ochoterenella papuensis, Oswaldocruzia bakeri, Parapharyngdon maplestoni, Parathelandros allisoni, Parathelandros andersoni, Physalopteroides milnensis, Rhabdias australiensis, Seuratascaris numidica) and one species of Acanthocephala (Acanthocephalus bufonis) were found. Also included were immature forms representing one species of Cestoda (as a metacestode), three species of Nematoda (Abbreviata sp., Rictulariidae gen. sp., Ascarididae gen. sp. in cysts), one species of Acanthocephala (unidentified cystacanth), and one species of Pentastomida [Raillietiella sp. (nymph)]. The mean helminth species richness for infected hosts was 1.3±0.6 SD (range one to three species). Sixty‐seven new host records and two new locality records are reported.

Keywords:

• Helminths
• Hylid frogs
• Hylidae
• Papua New Guinea

Acknowledgements

We thank E. Teodoro, S. Goldsberry and S. Kark for assistance with dissections. Innumerable people assisted with the fieldwork and we thank the inhabitants and land owners for their co‐operation. Particular thanks go to Jim Anamiato, Sedeka Andrew, Ilaiah Bigilale, Noel Doni, Fred Francisco, Telon Garra, Charlie Graham, Bulisa Iova, Didibu Iova, Helen Kurage, Dyson Libai, Biga Lisai, Fred Malesa, David Mitchell, Florence Paisparea, Pesto Roberts, Bendo Salepuna, Dolasi Salepuna, John Sengo, Bena Seta, Stanley Simalken, John Slapcinsky, Brian Uruwa, Ben Yawi and Isidore Yidika for providing in‐country collaborative assistance and the Department of Environment and Conservation, National Research Institute, and Central, East New Britain, Milne Bay, Morobe and West Sepik provincial governments for permission to conduct this research. This research was supported by the National Science Foundation grant DEB 0103794 and is contribution 2008‐038 from the Pacific Biological Survey at the Bishop Museum.