AUTHOR=Lykins Kelsey , Ossiboff Robert J. , Chase Ellis , Thompson Nina , Farrell Terence M. , Wu Timothy , Johnson Steve A. , Walden Heather D. S. 

TITLE=Pterygodermatites (Mesopectines) whartoni (Nematoda: Rictulariidae) encysted larvae in invasive Cuban treefrogs (Osteopilus septentrionalis) from Florida, United States

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Veterinary Science

VOLUME=11

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/veterinary-science/articles/10.3389/fvets.2024.1353975

DOI=10.3389/fvets.2024.1353975

ISSN=2297-1769

ABSTRACT=<p>Species of <italic>Pterygodermatites</italic> are spirurid nematodes that have expanded their geographic distribution worldwide. They infect a variety of mammalian definitive hosts with few reports of potential paratenic infections in amphibian and reptile hosts. In this study, we report <italic>Pterygodermatites</italic> sp. larvae identified in free-ranging, invasive Cuban treefrogs (<italic>Osteopilus septentrionalis</italic>), from central Florida, United States. Encysted larvae were recovered from the skeletal muscle and/or the coelomic cavity of three frogs; molecular characterization of the small subunit (18S) ribosomal RNA and cytochrome oxidase I genes of the parasites matched reported sequences of <italic>Pterygodermatites (Mesopectines) whartoni</italic> (Tubangui, 1931). This is a parasite native to Southeastern Asia and to the best of the authors’ knowledge, it is the first report of the species in the New World. The recovery of invasive <italic>Pterygodermatites</italic> from invasive Cuban treefrogs in North America highlights the growing concern regarding the potential impact non-native parasites and invasive species may have on native wildlife populations.</p>