Endoparasites of Eleven Species of Ranid Frogs (Anura: Ranidae) from Papua New Guinea.

Abstract

Two hundred eighty-eight ranid frogs from Papua New Guinea collected from 2002 to 2005 were examined for endoparasites: Platymantis adiastolus, P. boulengeri, P. browni, P. gilliardi, P. papuensis, P. schmidti, Rana daemeli, R. garritor, R. jimiensis, R. milneana, and R. papua. Found were one species of Cestoda (as cysticerci), three species of Digenea (Opisthioglyphe cophixali, Diplodiscus amphichrus, and Mesocoelium monas), 18 species of Nematoda (adults of Abbreviata oligopapillata, Aplectana krausi, Aplectana macintoshii, Aplectana zweifeli, Cosmocerca novaeguineae, C. tyleri, Desmognathinema papuensis, Falcaustra papuensis, Icosiella papuensis, Meteterakis crombiei, Ochoterenella papuensis, Paracapillaria spratti, Pseudorictularia dipsarilis, Rhabdias australiensis, Seuratascaris numidica, larvae of Abbreviata sp., and Ascaridae gen. sp.), two species of Acanthocephala (Acanthocephalus bufonis and cystacanths of a second species), and one species of Pentastomida (nymphs of Kiricephalus sp.). Sixty-seven new host records, one new country record, and several new island records are reported. Nematodes composed 18/24 (75%) of the species present. Thirteen of the 24 endoparasite species found currently appear to be endemic to Papua New Guinea.