Morbidity in California giant salamander (Dicamptodon ensatus Eschscholtz, 1833) caused by Euryhelmis sp. Poche, 1926 (Trematoda: Heterophyiidae)
In the fall of 2021, California Department of Fish and Wildlife reported larval and adult California giant salamanders (Dicamptodon ensatus Eschscholtz, 1833) with skin lesions at multiple creeks in Santa Clara and Santa Cruz Counties, California, USA. Field signs in both stages included rough, lump...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2024-04-01
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| Series: | International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221322442400004X |
| _version_ | 1827292716794380288 |
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| author | Jaimie L. Miller Lawrence Erickson Susanne Fork Constance L. Roderick Daniel A. Grear Rebecca A. Cole |
| author_facet | Jaimie L. Miller Lawrence Erickson Susanne Fork Constance L. Roderick Daniel A. Grear Rebecca A. Cole |
| author_sort | Jaimie L. Miller |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In the fall of 2021, California Department of Fish and Wildlife reported larval and adult California giant salamanders (Dicamptodon ensatus Eschscholtz, 1833) with skin lesions at multiple creeks in Santa Clara and Santa Cruz Counties, California, USA. Field signs in both stages included rough, lumpy textured skin, and larvae with tails that were disproportionately long, flat, wavy, and flaccid. Presence of large-bodied larvae suggested delayed metamorphosis, with some larvae having cloudy eyes and suspected blindness. To determine the cause of the disease, three first-of-the-year salamanders from one location were collected, euthanized with 20% benzocaine, and submitted for necropsy to the U.S. Geological Survey, National Wildlife Health Center. Upon gross examination, all salamanders were emaciated with no internal fat stores, and had multiple pinpoint to 1.5-mm diameter raised nodules in the skin over the body, including the head, gills, dorsum, ventrum, all four limbs, and the tail; one also had nodules in the oral cavity and tongue. Histologically all salamanders had multiple encysted metacercariae in the dermis, subcutis, and skeletal muscles of the head, body, and tail that were often associated with granulomatous and granulocytic inflammation and edema. A small number of encysted metacercariae or empty cysts were present in the gills with minimal inflammation, and rarely in the kidney with no associated inflammation. Morphology of live metacercariae (Trematoda: Heterophyiidae), and sequencing of the 28S rRNA gene identified a species of Euryhelmis (Poche, 1926). Artificial digestion of a 1.65 g, decapitated, eviscerated carcass yielded 773 metacercariae, all of similar size and morphology as the live specimens. Based on these findings, the poor body condition of these salamanders was concluded to be due to heavy parasite burden. Environmental factors such as drought, increased temperature, and overcrowded conditions may be exacerbating parasite infections in these populations of salamander. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T23:06:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-65de97ae2b0949fbbfa890e380e1e92d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2213-2244 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T13:10:36Z |
| publishDate | 2024-04-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
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| series | International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife |
| spelling | doaj.art-65de97ae2b0949fbbfa890e380e1e92d2024-04-05T04:40:37ZengElsevierInternational Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife2213-22442024-04-0123100908Morbidity in California giant salamander (Dicamptodon ensatus Eschscholtz, 1833) caused by Euryhelmis sp. Poche, 1926 (Trematoda: Heterophyiidae)Jaimie L. Miller0Lawrence Erickson1Susanne Fork2Constance L. Roderick3Daniel A. Grear4Rebecca A. Cole5U.S. Geological Survey National Wildlife Health Center, Madison, WI, USA; Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USAElkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, Watsonville, CA, USABoulder Creek, CA, USAU.S. Geological Survey National Wildlife Health Center, Madison, WI, USAU.S. Geological Survey National Wildlife Health Center, Madison, WI, USAU.S. Geological Survey National Wildlife Health Center, Madison, WI, USA; Corresponding author. U.S. Geological Survey National Wildlife Health Center, 6006 Schroeder Road, Madison, WI, USA.In the fall of 2021, California Department of Fish and Wildlife reported larval and adult California giant salamanders (Dicamptodon ensatus Eschscholtz, 1833) with skin lesions at multiple creeks in Santa Clara and Santa Cruz Counties, California, USA. Field signs in both stages included rough, lumpy textured skin, and larvae with tails that were disproportionately long, flat, wavy, and flaccid. Presence of large-bodied larvae suggested delayed metamorphosis, with some larvae having cloudy eyes and suspected blindness. To determine the cause of the disease, three first-of-the-year salamanders from one location were collected, euthanized with 20% benzocaine, and submitted for necropsy to the U.S. Geological Survey, National Wildlife Health Center. Upon gross examination, all salamanders were emaciated with no internal fat stores, and had multiple pinpoint to 1.5-mm diameter raised nodules in the skin over the body, including the head, gills, dorsum, ventrum, all four limbs, and the tail; one also had nodules in the oral cavity and tongue. Histologically all salamanders had multiple encysted metacercariae in the dermis, subcutis, and skeletal muscles of the head, body, and tail that were often associated with granulomatous and granulocytic inflammation and edema. A small number of encysted metacercariae or empty cysts were present in the gills with minimal inflammation, and rarely in the kidney with no associated inflammation. Morphology of live metacercariae (Trematoda: Heterophyiidae), and sequencing of the 28S rRNA gene identified a species of Euryhelmis (Poche, 1926). Artificial digestion of a 1.65 g, decapitated, eviscerated carcass yielded 773 metacercariae, all of similar size and morphology as the live specimens. Based on these findings, the poor body condition of these salamanders was concluded to be due to heavy parasite burden. Environmental factors such as drought, increased temperature, and overcrowded conditions may be exacerbating parasite infections in these populations of salamander.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221322442400004XAmphibiaCalifornia giant salamanderDicamptodon ensatusEuryhelmis sp.MetacercariaTrematoda |
| spellingShingle | Jaimie L. Miller Lawrence Erickson Susanne Fork Constance L. Roderick Daniel A. Grear Rebecca A. Cole Morbidity in California giant salamander (Dicamptodon ensatus Eschscholtz, 1833) caused by Euryhelmis sp. Poche, 1926 (Trematoda: Heterophyiidae) International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife Amphibia California giant salamander Dicamptodon ensatus Euryhelmis sp. Metacercaria Trematoda |
| title | Morbidity in California giant salamander (Dicamptodon ensatus Eschscholtz, 1833) caused by Euryhelmis sp. Poche, 1926 (Trematoda: Heterophyiidae) |
| title_full | Morbidity in California giant salamander (Dicamptodon ensatus Eschscholtz, 1833) caused by Euryhelmis sp. Poche, 1926 (Trematoda: Heterophyiidae) |
| title_fullStr | Morbidity in California giant salamander (Dicamptodon ensatus Eschscholtz, 1833) caused by Euryhelmis sp. Poche, 1926 (Trematoda: Heterophyiidae) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Morbidity in California giant salamander (Dicamptodon ensatus Eschscholtz, 1833) caused by Euryhelmis sp. Poche, 1926 (Trematoda: Heterophyiidae) |
| title_short | Morbidity in California giant salamander (Dicamptodon ensatus Eschscholtz, 1833) caused by Euryhelmis sp. Poche, 1926 (Trematoda: Heterophyiidae) |
| title_sort | morbidity in california giant salamander dicamptodon ensatus eschscholtz 1833 caused by euryhelmis sp poche 1926 trematoda heterophyiidae |
| topic | Amphibia California giant salamander Dicamptodon ensatus Euryhelmis sp. Metacercaria Trematoda |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221322442400004X |
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