Endoparasites (Apicomplexa, Monogenoidea, Trematoda, Cestoda, Nematoda, Acanthocephala) from Eleven Reptiles (Testudines: Lacertilia: Ophidia) of McCurtain County, Oklahoma, Including the First Report of the Endogenous Stages of Eimeria robisoni (Eimeriidae)

Abstract

Between September 2015 and May 2018, 11 reptiles, including a razor-backed
musk turtle (Sternotherus carinatus), pallid spiny softshell (Apalone spinifera pallida), green anole (Anolis carolinensis), broadhead skink (Plestiodon laticeps), eastern hognose (Heterodon platirhinos), two eastern garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis), prairie kingsnake (Lampropeltis calligaster calligaster), southern copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix contortrix), and timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) from various sites in McCurtain County, Oklahoma, were examined for endoparasites. Two coccidians (Eimeria robisoni and Choleoeimeria sp.), an intraerythrocytic hematozoan (Hepatozoon sp.), a monogenean (Polystomoidella oblongum), two digeneans (Dasymetra conferta and Renifer ellipticus), two tapeworms (Testudotaenia testudo and Mesocestoides sp. tetrathyridia), six nematodes (Capillaria sp. [ova], Falcaustra affinis, Oswaldocruzia pipiens, Serpinema trispinosum, Spiroxys amydae [larvae] and Kalicephalus inermis coronellae) and a larval acanthocephalan  Neoechinorhynchus sp.) were harbored by these hosts. We document several new host and distributional records for these parasites, including three taxa reported from L. c. calligaster for the first time. We also document novel  information on the endogenous stages of the coccidian, E. robisoni.