Host Phylogeny Is Not a Major Factor in Infection of the Salamander Desmognathus marmoratus by the Trematode Metagonimoides oregonensis

Abstract

ABSTRACT: In the southern Appalachian Mountains, U.S.A., the trematode Metagonimoides oregonensis, a parasite of raccoons and mink, primarily uses larvae of the salamander Desmognathus quadramaculatus as a second intermediate host. However, evidence suggests that a cryptic, sympatric species, Desmognathus folkertsi is parasitized at a very low level or not at all. We tested the hypothesis that Desmognathus marmoratus, which is phylogenetically a sister to D. folkertsi, also has a low infection rate. We collected larvae of sympatric D. quadramaculatus and D. marmoratus from a stream (Beech Creek) in Towns County, Georgia, U.S.A. Although prevalence and mean visible metacercariae were different in June, no difference was seen between the species in either measure of infection in August. Our results support earlier work that suggests that factors other than host phylogeny can be more important in influencing infection.