Parasite fauna of the muskrat, Ondatra zibethica (Linnaeus, 1766), in Manitoba, Canada

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Abstract
Seven trematode, three nematode, two cestode, one acanthocephalan, one protozoan, and three acarina species were recovered from 171 muskrats (Ondatra zibethica) taken in Manitoba. Thirty-one muskrats were examined for ectoparasites, 111 for endoparasites and 29 for both. Plagiorchis noblei and the nematode Heligmosomum carolinensis were recorded for the first time from the muskrat. Variation between the parasitic fauna of the four areas examined was not significant, probably due to the ease of dispersal of the host. Capillaria michiganensis and Hymentilepis sp. were significantly more prevalent in female muskrats than in males. Young muskrats were parasitized shortly after weaning, with the most prevalent parasites being acquired first.

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