Incidence of Worm Parasites in Minnesota Mustelidae and Host Lists and Keys to North American Species

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Abstract
This paper is based on necropsies of 547 mustelids of 8 spp. collected in Minnesota from 1932 to 1944 as follows: mink (Mustela vison), 151; short-tailed weasel (M. e. cicognanii), 322; long-tailed weasel (M.frenata), 21; least weasel (M. rixosa), 1; striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis), 15; spotted skunk (Spilogale putorius), 24; badger (Taxidea taxus), 8; otter (Lutra canadensis), 3; marten (Martes americana), 1; fisher (M. pennanti), 1. 24 spp. of helminths were recovered from the 547 mustelids. Trematoda: Alaria taxideae from short-tailed and long-tailed weasels, striped and spotted skunks, and badger; A. mustelae from mink, short-tailed weasel, and spotted skunk; Euparyphium metis from mink and short-tailed weasel; Euparyphium sp. from badger; Euryhelmis monorchis, Paragonimus kellicotti, Metorchis conjunctus, and Sellacotyle mustelae from mink. Cestoda: Mesocestoides latus? and M. variabilis? from striped and spotted skunks; Taenia tenuicollis from mink; and Taenia sp. from short-tailed and long-tailed weasels. Nematoda: Ascaris colum-naris from spotted skunk and badger; Capillaria sp., Diocto-phyma renale, Dracunculus medinensis, Filaroides martis and Physaloptera sp. from mink; Dracunculus insignis? and Phy-saloptera maxillaris from striped skunk; Molineus patens, P. maxillaris, and P. torquata from badger; P. maxillaris from spotted skunk; and Physaloptera sp., Skrjabingylus nasicola, and spirurid larvae from short-tailed weasel. Acanthoce-phala: Moniliformis sp. from short-tailed weasel. Helminths of N. American Mustelidae are listed under their hosts and keys for their detn. are given.