Nematode Parasites of Mammals of the Great Salt Lake Desert of Utah

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Abstract
Animals (527) of 22 spp. from a 1000 sq mi area of Tooele Co., Utah, were autopsied for endoparasitic nematodes. The mammals were live-trapped from the various ecological habitats and careful attention paid to host distribution, host-parasite interrelationship, and factors affecting distribution of parasitic spp. geographically and seasonally. Twenty-three spp. of nematodes were recovered, 6 of which may constitute new forms. Animals collected during May, June and early July had a combined incidence of infection of 39.2% while those collected during August and September has 60%. Reasons for the increase in the late season group were found to be due to (1) seasonal distribution, spp. with stomach-inhabiting spirurid forms being found only in the July-August-September group; (2) increased use of insects for food in the late season group, as these are intermediate hosts for spirurid worms; (3) increased population density of mammal spp. later in the summer, leading to increased probability of infection.
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