Helminths of Emoia caeruleocauda (Squamata: Scincidae) from the Northern Mariana Islands, Micronesia

Abstract

One hundred and ninety-eight Emoia caeruleocauda from nine of the Northern Mariana Islands, Micronesia were surveyed for helminths. Samples from Agrigan, Almagen, Anatahan, Asuncion, Pagan, Rota, Saipan, Sarigan and Tinian were examined. The helminth fauna was greatly depauperate: one species of Cestoda, Cylindrotaenia hickmani, one species of Nematoda, Skrjabinodon sheai and acanthocephalan cystacanths were found. Three of the larger islands, Agrigan, Rota and Saipan, contained two species of helminths. No helminths were found in E. caeruleocauda from Anatahan, Asuncion, Pagan and Tinian Islands.

Keywords:

• lizard
• skink
• helminths
• Cestoda
• Nematoda
• Acanthocephala

Acknowledgements

We thank Peggy Firth for Figure 1, Pumehana Imada (BPBM) for facilitating our examination of E. caeruleocauda and Daisy Salguero and Cecilia Nava (Whittier College) for assistance with dissections. This is contribution 2010‐013 from the Pacific Biological Survey at the Bishop Museum.