Bursey, C. R.

Connior, M. B.

Durden, L. A.

McAllister, Chris T.

Robison, Henry W.

Seville, R. S.

English

UARK (University of Arkansas )

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science Volume 71 Article 38 2017 New Records of Parasites (Apicomplexa, Nematoda, Acari, Anoplura) from Rodents in Arkansas M. B. Connior NW Arkansas Community College, mconnior@nwacc.edu L. A. Durden Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA Chris T. McAllister Eastern Oklahoma St. College, cmcallister@se.edu R. S. Seville University of Wyoming, Casper, WY C. R. Bursey Pennsylvania State University-Shenango Campus, Sharon, PA See next page for additional authors Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.uark.edu/jaas  Part of the Zoology Commons Recommended Citation Connior, M. B.; Durden, L. A.; McAllister, Chris T.; Seville, R. S.; Bursey, C. R.; and Robison, Henry W. (2017) "New Records of Parasites (Apicomplexa, Nematoda, Acari, Anoplura) from Rodents in Arkansas," Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science: Vol. 71 , Article 38. DOI: https://doi.org/10.54119/jaas.2017.7133 Available at: https://scholarworks.uark.edu/jaas/vol71/iss1/38 This article is available for use under the Creative Commons license: Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0). Users are able to read, download, copy, print, distribute, search, link to the full texts of these articles, or use them for any other lawful purpose, without asking prior permission from the publisher or the author. This General Note is brought to you for free and open access by ScholarWorks@UARK. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science by an authorized editor of ScholarWorks@UARK. For more information, please contact scholar@uark.edu. New Records of Parasites (Apicomplexa, Nematoda, Acari, Anoplura) from Rodents in Arkansas Authors M. B. Connior, L. A. Durden, Chris T. McAllister, R. S. Seville, C. R. Bursey, and Henry W. Robison This general note is available in Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science: https://scholarworks.uark.edu/jaas/vol71/iss1/38 Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science, Vol. 71, 2017211New Records of Parasites (Apicomplexa, Nematoda, Acari, Anoplura) from Rodents inArkansasM.B. Connior1*, L.A. Durden2, C.T. McAllister3, R.S. Seville4, C.R. Bursey5, and H.W. Robison61Life Sciences, Northwest Arkansas Community College, Bentonville, AR 727122Department of Biology, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA 304583Science and Mathematics Division, Eastern Oklahoma State College, Idabel, OK 747454Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Casper, WY 826015Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University-Shenango Campus, Sharon, PA 1614669717 Wild Mountain Drive, Sherwood, AR 72120*Correspondence: mconnior@nwacc.eduRunning Title: Parasites of Rodents in ArkansasCompared to surrounding states, little is knownabout the coccidian parasites of rodents (McAllister andKessler 2002; McAllister et al. 2008), and theectoparasites of the wild mammals of Arkansas(Schiefer and Lancaster 1970; Whitaker and Wilson1974; Whitaker et al. 2007; McAllister et al. 2013).Recently, limited work has been published on someectoparasites of Arkansas rodents (McAllister et al.2013; Tumlison et al. 2015). Here, we reportinformation on a coccidian and some ectoparasitescollected from rodents in the state.Pocket gophers from Arkansas were collected asfollows and examined for helminths and coccidianparasites: 10 Ozark pocket gophers (Geomys bursariusozarkensis) were collected on 17-18 November 2012from S of Melbourne at Lunenburg, Izard County; 16Baird’s pocket gophers (Geomys breviceps) were takenon 2 November 2012 from El Dorado, Union County; 5G. breviceps were collected on 5 April 2013 fromBryant, Saline County; and 8 G. breviceps were takenon 15 April 2016 from Siloam Springs, Benton County.All were collected with Victor® Gopher kill traps. Thegastrointestinal tract was examined for helminths andnematodes were fixed in 70% (v/v) ethanol andexamined as temporary mounts in glycerol. Feces wascollected from the rectum and placed in individual vialscontaining 2.5% (w/v) aqueous potassium dichromate(K2Cr2O7) and examined by light microscopy followingflotation in Sheather’s sugar solution (specific gravity =1.30). Negative samples were discarded and onepositive sample with unsporulated oocysts was allowedone week of sporulation at room temperature (ca. 23°C)in a Petri dish containing a thin layer of 2.5% (w/v)K2Cr2O7. Oocysts were concentrated again withSheather’s and examined using a compound microscopeequipped with Nomarski interference-contrast (DIC)optics and were photographed and measured usingOlympus Microsuite© software. Mean measurementsare reported in micrometers (µm). A photovoucher ofsporulated oocysts was accessioned into the Harold W.Manter Laboratory of Parasitology (HWML), Lincoln,NE as HWML 139189, Nematode parasites were alsoaccessioned as HWML 99822.One woodchuck (Marmota monax) from BentonCounty, 1 woodland vole (Microtus pinetorum) fromBenton County, 4 white-footed mice (Peromyscusleucopus; 3 from Saline County and one from MarionCounty), 1 deermouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) fromBenton County, 1 eastern fox squirrel (Sciurus niger)from Marion County, and 1 hispid cotton rat (Sigmodonhispidus) from Benton County were collected betweenFebruary 2013 and May 2017 with Sherman live trapsand Museum Special® snap traps baited with rolledoats. After being euthanized following AmericanSociety of Mammalogists guidelines (Sikes et al. 2011),hair and skin of rodents were examined forectoparasites. Chiggers and other mites were cleared inlactophenol, slide-mounted in Hoyer’s medium(Walters and Krantz 2009), and identified usingWhitaker (1982). Sucking lice were identified in ethanolusing Kim et al. (1986). Voucher specimens of hosts aredeposited in the mammal collection at Henderson StateUniversity (HSU), Arkadelphia, AR. Ectoparasites aredeposited in the Entomology Collection in theDepartment of Biology at Georgia Southern University,Statesboro, GA (accession nos. L3795; L3800; L3802;L3806)The following parasites were found in or on theserodents:Protista: Apicomplexa: EimeriidaeEimeria geomydis Skidmore. Oocysts of a211Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science, Vol. 71 [2017], Art. 38Published by Arkansas Academy of Science, 2017M.B. Connior, L.A. Durden, C.T. McAllister R.S. Seville, C.R. Bursey, and H.W. RobisonJournal of the Arkansas Academy of Science, Vol. 71, 2017212coccidian matching the description of E. geomydis (Fig.1) were found in 3 of 10 (30%) G. b. ozarkensis.Oocysts were subspheroidal, possessed a bilayered wall,measured (L × W) 13.0 × 11.9, and had a L/W ratio of1.1. A micropyle, oocyst residuum, and polar granulewere absent. Sporocysts were ovoidal and measured 7.9× 4.5 with a L/W ratio of 1.8. In addition, a small Stiedabody without substieda and parastieda bodies but asporocyst residuum were present. In addition, 5 of 16(31%) G. breviceps from Union County and 2 of 8(25%) from Benton County harbored E. geomydis; noneof the 5 G. breviceps from Saline County were infected.Skidmore (1929) originally described E. geomydis fromplains pocket gopher (Geomys bursarius) fromNebraska. It has also been reported from G. bursariusfrom Missouri and Illinois, G. breviceps and Llanopocket gopher (G. texensis) from Texas (Upton et al.1992), and northern pocket gophers (Thomomystalpoides) from New Mexico (Wilber et al. 1994). Here,we document a new distributional and host record forArkansas, which harbors a subspecies of G. bursariusfrom which this coccidian has not been recorded.Nematoda: Spiruroidea: SpirocercidaeSeveral spirurid nematodes, Mastophorus muris(Gemlin), were found in the stomach of 2 of 8 (25%) G.breviceps from Benton County (Fig. 2). Burnham(1953) reported M. muris from G. bursarius fromMarshall County, Oklahoma. This nematode uses insectsFigure 1. Eimeria geomydis oocyst from feces of Geomys bursariusozarkensis showing oocyst wall (OW), Stieda body (SB), andsporocysts (SP). Scale bar = 5 µm.Figure 2. Heavy infection of spirurid nematodes in the stomach of aBaird’s pocket gopher (Geomys breviceps) from Benton County.as intermediate hosts and is a cosmopolitan speciesprimarily infecting wild and urban rodents, but alsoother less frequent hosts such as marsupials andcarnivores (Rojas and Digiani 2003). We document thefirst report of M. muris in G. breviceps or fromArkansas.Acari: TrombiculidaeLeptotrombidium peromysci Vercammen-Grandjean and Langston. One L. peromysci larva wascollected from P. leucopus from Marion County. Thischigger is associated with several species of small andmedium-sized mammals in the eastern U.S. (there isalso a record from South Dakota) (Walters et al. 2011)but this represents the first record of this species fromArkansas. Some members of the genusLeptotrombidium in southeast Asia and the Pacificregion are vectors of Orientia tsutsugamushi, thecausative agent of scrub typhus (chigger-bornerickettsiosis) but Nearctic members of this genus are notknown to transmit any pathogens (Traub and Wisseman1974).Euschoengastia peromysci (Ewing). One E.peromysci larva was collected from P. leucopus fromMarion County. This is a widespread and commonectoparasite of several species of small mammals acrossthe continental U.S. (Walters et al. 2011). It has beenreported previously from P. leucopus in other states(Walters et al. 2011), but this is the first record of thischigger from this host in Arkansas. Euschoengastiaperomysci has previously been reported from the easternwoodrat, Neotoma floridana in Arkansas (Tumlison etal. 2015).212Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science, Vol. 71 [2017], Art. 38https://scholarworks.uark.edu/jaas/vol71/iss1/38DOI: https://doi.org/10.54119/jaas.2017.7133Parasites of Rodents in ArkansasJournal of the Arkansas Academy of Science, Vol. 71, 2017213LaelapidaeAndrolaelaps fahrenholzi (Berlese). A single maleand 6 nymphs of A. fahrenholzi were collected from asingle M. pinetorum from Benton County. Additionally,9 females and 9 nymphs of A. fahrenholzi were collectedfrom a single S. hispidus from Benton County. This isa widespread and common Nearctic ectoparasite that hasbeen reported previously from M. pinetorum and S.hispidus in other states (Whitaker et al. 2007), but theseare the first ectoparasite records from these hosts inArkansas. Androlaelaps fahrenholzi has previouslybeen reported from golden mice (Ochrotomys nuttalli)and N. floridana in Arkansas (Tumlison et al. 2015).Laelaps kochi Oudemans. One female L. kochi wascollected from M. pinetorum from Benton County.Although this vole-associated ectoparasite has beencollected from M. pinetorum in other states, this is thefirst time this species has been collected in Arkansas(Whitaker et al. 2007).ListrophoridaeListrophorus pitymys Fain and Hyland. A maleand female L. pitymys were collected from a single M.pinetorum from Benton County. This represents a newstate record for this species. It has only been collectedpreviously from hosts in New York and Rhode Island.This species has been previously reported from M.pinetorum (Fain and Hyland 1972, 1974).MacronyssidaeOrnithonyssus bacoti (Hirst). The tropical rat mitewas collected from a P. maniculatus from BentonCounty. Although this ectoparasite has been collectedfrom P. maniculatus in other states, this is the first timeit has been collected in Arkansas (Whitaker et al. 2007).IxodidaeAmbylomma americanum (Linnaeus). Six nymphsof the lone star tick were collected from M. monax fromBenton County. This is a commonly collected tick froma variety of mammalian hosts from Arkansas(McAllister et al. 2016) but there are few previousrecords from marmots. Further west, North Americanmarmots are often parasitized by Ixodes marmotaeCooley and Kohls (Durden and Keirans 1996).Dermacentor variabilis (Say). One male Americandog tick was collected from M. monax from BentonCounty. This is a commonly collected tick from avariety of mammalian hosts from Arkansas (McAllisteret al. 2016).Anoplura: HoplopleuridaeHoplopleura hesperomydis (Osborn). Five malesand 13 females of H. hesperomydis were collected from2 of 3 (67%) P. leucopus from Saline County. Thissucking louse is a widespread ectoparasite in NorthAmerica and Mexico on at least 9 species of Peromyscusand also of Ochrotomys nuttalli (Durden and Musser1994) but this is the first time it has been reported fromArkansas.In conclusion, we document a coccidian, 5 speciesof mites (including 2 species of chiggers), 2 species ofticks, 1 species of sucking louse, and a nematode fromrodents in Arkansas. Two new host and 6 newgeographic records are reported. Clearly the coccidianand ectoparasite fauna, particularly the mite fauna, ofArkansas mammals is inadequately documented.Therefore, we recommend additional surveys of theparasites from Arkansas mammals to ensure necessarydocumentation of vectors and reservoirs of potentialzoonoses.AcknowledgmentsWe thank Drs. S.L. Gardner and G.R. Racz(HWML) and R. Tumlison (HSU) for expert curatorialassistance. CTM thanks the Stuarts for allowing him tocollect on their properties in Saline County. TheArkansas Game and Fish Commission issued ScientificCollecting Permits to MBC and CTM.Literature CitedBurnham GL. 1953. A study of helminth parasites ofpocket gophers of Woods, Alfalfa, Grant, andMarshall counties, Oklahoma. Proceedings of theOklahoma Academy of Science 34:59-61.Durden LA and JE Keirans. 1996. Nymphs of thegenus Ixodes (Acari: Ixodidae) of the United States:taxonomy, identification key, distribution, hosts,and medical/veterinary importance. Monographs,Thomas Say Publications in Entomology,Entomological Society of America (Lanham, MD).95 p.Durden LA and GG Musser. 1994. The sucking lice(Insecta, Anoplura) of the world: A taxonomicchecklist with records of mammalian hosts andgeographical distributions. Bulletin of the AmericanMuseum of Natural History 218:1-90.Fain A and K Hyland. 1972. Description of newparasitic mites from North American mammals.Revue de Zoologie et de Botanique Africaines85:174-176.213Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science, Vol. 71 [2017], Art. 38Published by Arkansas Academy of Science, 2017M.B. Connior, L.A. Durden, C.T. McAllister R.S. Seville, C.R. Bursey, and H.W. RobisonJournal of the Arkansas Academy of Science, Vol. 71, 2017214Fain A and K Hyland. 1974. The listrophoroid mites inNorth America. II. The family Listrophoridae.Bulletin de l’Institute Royal des Sciences Naturellesde Belgique 50:1-69.Kim KC, HD Pratt, and CJ Stojanovich. 1986. Thesucking lice of North America: an illustratedmanual for identification. The Pennsylvania StateUniversity Press (University Park, PA). 241 p.McAllister CT, MB Connior, and LA Durden. 2013.Ectoparasites of sciurid rodents in Arkansas,including new state records for Neohaematopinusspp. (Phthiraptera: Anoplura: Polyplacidae).Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science:67:197-199.McAllister CT and JE Kessler. 2002. Coccidianparasites (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) of selectrodents of western and southwestern Arkansas andnortheastern Texas. Journal of the ArkansasAcademy of Science 56:235-238.McAllister CT, LA Durden, and HW Robison. 2016.The ticks (Arachnida: Acari: Ixodida) of Arkansas.Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science70:141-154.McAllister C, R Seville, and S Upton. 2008. Eimeriawenrichi (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from thewoodland vole, Microtus pinetorum (Rodentia:Cricetidae), in central Arkansas: a new host andgeographic record. Journal of the ArkansasAcademy of Science 62:153-154.Rojas MDC and MC Digiani. 2003. First record ofMastophorus muris (Gemlin, 1790) (Nematoda:Spiruroidea) from a wild host in South America.Parasite 10:375-378.Schiefer BA and JL Lancaster Jr. 1970. SomeSiphonaptera from Arkansas. Journal of the KansasEntomological Society 43:177-181.Skidmore LV. 1929. Note on a new species of coccidiafrom the pocket gopher (Geomys bursarius) (Shaw).Journal of Parasitology 15:183-184.Sikes RS, Gannon WL and the Animal Care and UseCommittee of the American Society ofMammalogists. 2011. Guidelines of the AmericanSociety of Mammalogists for the use of wildmammals in research. Journal of Mammalogy92:235-253.Traub R and CL Wisseman Jr. 1974. The ecology ofchigger-borne rickettsiosis (scrub typhus). Journalof Medical Entomology 11:237-303.Tumlison R, MB Connior, HW Robison, CTMcAllister, LA Durden, DB Sasse, and DASaugey. 2015. Vertebrate natural history notes fromArkansas, 2015. Journal of the Arkansas Academyof Science 69:106-115.Upton SJ, RM Pitts, CT McAllister, and RRHollander. 1992. New host records for Eimeriageomydis Skidmore 1929 from Geomys (Rodentia:Geomyidae) and redescription of the oocysts fromGeomys bursarius. Texas Journal of Science 44:94-98.Walters DE and GW Krantz. 2009. Collection, rearingand preparing specimens. In: Krantz GW and DEWalter, editors. A manual of acarology, 3rd edition.Texas Tech University Press (Lubbock, TX). p 83-96.Walters BL, JO Whitaker Jr, NS Gikas, and WJWrenn. 2011. Host and distribution lists ofchiggers (Trombiculidae and Leeuwenhoekiidae),of North America wild vertebrates north of Mexico.Faculty Publications of the Harold W. MantorLaboratory of Parasitology (Lincoln, NE). Paper697. 183 p.Whitaker JO Jr. 1982. Ectoparasites of mammals ofIndiana. Indiana Academy of Science. MonographNo. 4. 240 p.Whitaker JO Jr, BL Walters, LK Castor, CM Ritzi,and N Wilson. 2007. Host and distribution lists ofmites (Acari), parasitic and phoretic, in the hair oron the skin of North American wild mammals northof Mexico: Records since 1974. FacultyPublications of the Harold W. Mantor Laboratory ofParasitology (Lincoln, NE). Paper 1. 173 p.Whitaker JO Jr and N Wilson. 1974. Host anddistribution lists of mites (Acari), parasitic andphoretic, in the hair of wild mammals of NorthAmerica, north of Mexico. American MidlandNaturalist 91:1-67.Wilber PG, K McBee, DJ Hafner, and DWDuszynski. 1994. A new coccidian (Apicomplexa:Eimeriidae) in the northern pocket gopher(Thomomys talpoides) and a comparison of oocystsurvival in host hosts from radon-rich and radon-poor soils. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 30:359-364.214Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science, Vol. 71 [2017], Art. 38https://scholarworks.uark.edu/jaas/vol71/iss1/38DOI: https://doi.org/10.54119/jaas.2017.7133

New Records of Parasites (Apicomplexa, Nematoda, Acari, Anoplura) from Rodents in Arkansas

ScholarWorks@UARK

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of ScienceVolume 71 Article 382017New Records of Parasites (Apicomplexa,Nematoda, Acari, Anoplura) from Rodents inArkansasM. B. ConniorNW Arkansas Community College, mconnior@nwacc.eduL. A. DurdenGeorgia Southern University, Statesboro, GAChris T. McAllisterEastern Oklahoma St. College, cmcallister@se.eduR. S. SevilleUniversity of Wyoming, Casper, WYC. R. BurseyPennsylvania State University-Shenango Campus, Sharon, PASee next page for additional authorsFollow this and additional works at: http://scholarworks.uark.edu/jaasPart of the Zoology CommonsThis article is available for use under the Creative Commons license: Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0). Users are able toread, download, copy, print, distribute, search, link to the full texts of these articles, or use them for any other lawful purpose, without asking priorpermission from the publisher or the author.This General Note is brought to you for free and open access by ScholarWorks@UARK. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of the ArkansasAcademy of Science by an authorized editor of ScholarWorks@UARK. For more information, please contact scholar@uark.edu, ccmiddle@uark.edu.Recommended CitationConnior, M. B.; Durden, L. A.; McAllister, Chris T.; Seville, R. S.; Bursey, C. R.; and Robison, Henry W. (2017) "New Records ofParasites (Apicomplexa, Nematoda, Acari, Anoplura) from Rodents in Arkansas," Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science: Vol. 71 ,Article 38.Available at: http://scholarworks.uark.edu/jaas/vol71/iss1/38New Records of Parasites (Apicomplexa, Nematoda, Acari, Anoplura)from Rodents in ArkansasAuthorsM. B. Connior, L. A. Durden, Chris T. McAllister, R. S. Seville, C. R. Bursey, and Henry W. RobisonThis general note is available in Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science: http://scholarworks.uark.edu/jaas/vol71/iss1/38Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science, Vol. 71, 2017211New Records of Parasites (Apicomplexa, Nematoda, Acari, Anoplura) from Rodents inArkansasM.B. Connior1*, L.A. Durden2, C.T. McAllister3, R.S. Seville4, C.R. Bursey5, and H.W. Robison61Life Sciences, Northwest Arkansas Community College, Bentonville, AR 727122Department of Biology, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA 304583Science and Mathematics Division, Eastern Oklahoma State College, Idabel, OK 747454Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Casper, WY 826015Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University-Shenango Campus, Sharon, PA 1614669717 Wild Mountain Drive, Sherwood, AR 72120*Correspondence: mconnior@nwacc.eduRunning Title: Parasites of Rodents in ArkansasCompared to surrounding states, little is knownabout the coccidian parasites of rodents (McAllister andKessler 2002; McAllister et al. 2008), and theectoparasites of the wild mammals of Arkansas(Schiefer and Lancaster 1970; Whitaker and Wilson1974; Whitaker et al. 2007; McAllister et al. 2013).Recently, limited work has been published on someectoparasites of Arkansas rodents (McAllister et al.2013; Tumlison et al. 2015). Here, we reportinformation on a coccidian and some ectoparasitescollected from rodents in the state.Pocket gophers from Arkansas were collected asfollows and examined for helminths and coccidianparasites: 10 Ozark pocket gophers (Geomys bursariusozarkensis) were collected on 17-18 November 2012from S of Melbourne at Lunenburg, Izard County; 16Baird’s pocket gophers (Geomys breviceps) were takenon 2 November 2012 from El Dorado, Union County; 5G. breviceps were collected on 5 April 2013 fromBryant, Saline County; and 8 G. breviceps were takenon 15 April 2016 from Siloam Springs, Benton County.All were collected with Victor® Gopher kill traps. Thegastrointestinal tract was examined for helminths andnematodes were fixed in 70% (v/v) ethanol andexamined as temporary mounts in glycerol. Feces wascollected from the rectum and placed in individual vialscontaining 2.5% (w/v) aqueous potassium dichromate(K2Cr2O7) and examined by light microscopy followingflotation in Sheather’s sugar solution (specific gravity =1.30). Negative samples were discarded and onepositive sample with unsporulated oocysts was allowedone week of sporulation at room temperature (ca. 23°C)in a Petri dish containing a thin layer of 2.5% (w/v)K2Cr2O7. Oocysts were concentrated again withSheather’s and examined using a compound microscopeequipped with Nomarski interference-contrast (DIC)optics and were photographed and measured usingOlympus Microsuite© software. Mean measurementsare reported in micrometers (µm). A photovoucher ofsporulated oocysts was accessioned into the Harold W.Manter Laboratory of Parasitology (HWML), Lincoln,NE as HWML 139189, Nematode parasites were alsoaccessioned as HWML 99822.One woodchuck (Marmota monax) from BentonCounty, 1 woodland vole (Microtus pinetorum) fromBenton County, 4 white-footed mice (Peromyscusleucopus; 3 from Saline County and one from MarionCounty), 1 deermouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) fromBenton County, 1 eastern fox squirrel (Sciurus niger)from Marion County, and 1 hispid cotton rat (Sigmodonhispidus) from Benton County were collected betweenFebruary 2013 and May 2017 with Sherman live trapsand Museum Special® snap traps baited with rolledoats. After being euthanized following AmericanSociety of Mammalogists guidelines (Sikes et al. 2011),hair and skin of rodents were examined forectoparasites. Chiggers and other mites were cleared inlactophenol, slide-mounted in Hoyer’s medium(Walters and Krantz 2009), and identified usingWhitaker (1982). Sucking lice were identified in ethanolusing Kim et al. (1986). Voucher specimens of hosts aredeposited in the mammal collection at Henderson StateUniversity (HSU), Arkadelphia, AR. Ectoparasites aredeposited in the Entomology Collection in theDepartment of Biology at Georgia Southern University,Statesboro, GA (accession nos. L3795; L3800; L3802;L3806)The following parasites were found in or on theserodents:Protista: Apicomplexa: EimeriidaeEimeria geomydis Skidmore. Oocysts of a211Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science, Vol. 71 [2017], Art. 38Published by Arkansas Academy of Science, 2017M.B. Connior, L.A. Durden, C.T. McAllister R.S. Seville, C.R. Bursey, and H.W. RobisonJournal of the Arkansas Academy of Science, Vol. 71, 2017212coccidian matching the description of E. geomydis (Fig.1) were found in 3 of 10 (30%) G. b. ozarkensis.Oocysts were subspheroidal, possessed a bilayered wall,measured (L × W) 13.0 × 11.9, and had a L/W ratio of1.1. A micropyle, oocyst residuum, and polar granulewere absent. Sporocysts were ovoidal and measured 7.9× 4.5 with a L/W ratio of 1.8. In addition, a small Stiedabody without substieda and parastieda bodies but asporocyst residuum were present. In addition, 5 of 16(31%) G. breviceps from Union County and 2 of 8(25%) from Benton County harbored E. geomydis; noneof the 5 G. breviceps from Saline County were infected.Skidmore (1929) originally described E. geomydis fromplains pocket gopher (Geomys bursarius) fromNebraska. It has also been reported from G. bursariusfrom Missouri and Illinois, G. breviceps and Llanopocket gopher (G. texensis) from Texas (Upton et al.1992), and northern pocket gophers (Thomomystalpoides) from New Mexico (Wilber et al. 1994). Here,we document a new distributional and host record forArkansas, which harbors a subspecies of G. bursariusfrom which this coccidian has not been recorded.Nematoda: Spiruroidea: SpirocercidaeSeveral spirurid nematodes, Mastophorus muris(Gemlin), were found in the stomach of 2 of 8 (25%) G.breviceps from Benton County (Fig. 2). Burnham(1953) reported M. muris from G. bursarius fromMarshall County, Oklahoma. This nematode uses insectsFigure 1. Eimeria geomydis oocyst from feces of Geomys bursariusozarkensis showing oocyst wall (OW), Stieda body (SB), andsporocysts (SP). Scale bar = 5 µm.Figure 2. Heavy infection of spirurid nematodes in the stomach of aBaird’s pocket gopher (Geomys breviceps) from Benton County.as intermediate hosts and is a cosmopolitan speciesprimarily infecting wild and urban rodents, but alsoother less frequent hosts such as marsupials andcarnivores (Rojas and Digiani 2003). We document thefirst report of M. muris in G. breviceps or fromArkansas.Acari: TrombiculidaeLeptotrombidium peromysci Vercammen-Grandjean and Langston. One L. peromysci larva wascollected from P. leucopus from Marion County. Thischigger is associated with several species of small andmedium-sized mammals in the eastern U.S. (there isalso a record from South Dakota) (Walters et al. 2011)but this represents the first record of this species fromArkansas. Some members of the genusLeptotrombidium in southeast Asia and the Pacificregion are vectors of Orientia tsutsugamushi, thecausative agent of scrub typhus (chigger-bornerickettsiosis) but Nearctic members of this genus are notknown to transmit any pathogens (Traub and Wisseman1974).Euschoengastia peromysci (Ewing). One E.peromysci larva was collected from P. leucopus fromMarion County. This is a widespread and commonectoparasite of several species of small mammals acrossthe continental U.S. (Walters et al. 2011). It has beenreported previously from P. leucopus in other states(Walters et al. 2011), but this is the first record of thischigger from this host in Arkansas. Euschoengastiaperomysci has previously been reported from the easternwoodrat, Neotoma floridana in Arkansas (Tumlison etal. 2015).212Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science, Vol. 71 [2017], Art. 38http://scholarworks.uark.edu/jaas/vol71/iss1/38Parasites of Rodents in ArkansasJournal of the Arkansas Academy of Science, Vol. 71, 2017213LaelapidaeAndrolaelaps fahrenholzi (Berlese). A single maleand 6 nymphs of A. fahrenholzi were collected from asingle M. pinetorum from Benton County. Additionally,9 females and 9 nymphs of A. fahrenholzi were collectedfrom a single S. hispidus from Benton County. This isa widespread and common Nearctic ectoparasite that hasbeen reported previously from M. pinetorum and S.hispidus in other states (Whitaker et al. 2007), but theseare the first ectoparasite records from these hosts inArkansas. Androlaelaps fahrenholzi has previouslybeen reported from golden mice (Ochrotomys nuttalli)and N. floridana in Arkansas (Tumlison et al. 2015).Laelaps kochi Oudemans. One female L. kochi wascollected from M. pinetorum from Benton County.Although this vole-associated ectoparasite has beencollected from M. pinetorum in other states, this is thefirst time this species has been collected in Arkansas(Whitaker et al. 2007).ListrophoridaeListrophorus pitymys Fain and Hyland. A maleand female L. pitymys were collected from a single M.pinetorum from Benton County. This represents a newstate record for this species. It has only been collectedpreviously from hosts in New York and Rhode Island.This species has been previously reported from M.pinetorum (Fain and Hyland 1972, 1974).MacronyssidaeOrnithonyssus bacoti (Hirst). The tropical rat mitewas collected from a P. maniculatus from BentonCounty. Although this ectoparasite has been collectedfrom P. maniculatus in other states, this is the first timeit has been collected in Arkansas (Whitaker et al. 2007).IxodidaeAmbylomma americanum (Linnaeus). Six nymphsof the lone star tick were collected from M. monax fromBenton County. This is a commonly collected tick froma variety of mammalian hosts from Arkansas(McAllister et al. 2016) but there are few previousrecords from marmots. Further west, North Americanmarmots are often parasitized by Ixodes marmotaeCooley and Kohls (Durden and Keirans 1996).Dermacentor variabilis (Say). One male Americandog tick was collected from M. monax from BentonCounty. This is a commonly collected tick from avariety of mammalian hosts from Arkansas (McAllisteret al. 2016).Anoplura: HoplopleuridaeHoplopleura hesperomydis (Osborn). Five malesand 13 females of H. hesperomydis were collected from2 of 3 (67%) P. leucopus from Saline County. Thissucking louse is a widespread ectoparasite in NorthAmerica and Mexico on at least 9 species of Peromyscusand also of Ochrotomys nuttalli (Durden and Musser1994) but this is the first time it has been reported fromArkansas.In conclusion, we document a coccidian, 5 speciesof mites (including 2 species of chiggers), 2 species ofticks, 1 species of sucking louse, and a nematode fromrodents in Arkansas. Two new host and 6 newgeographic records are reported. Clearly the coccidianand ectoparasite fauna, particularly the mite fauna, ofArkansas mammals is inadequately documented.Therefore, we recommend additional surveys of theparasites from Arkansas mammals to ensure necessarydocumentation of vectors and reservoirs of potentialzoonoses.AcknowledgmentsWe thank Drs. S.L. Gardner and G.R. Racz(HWML) and R. Tumlison (HSU) for expert curatorialassistance. CTM thanks the Stuarts for allowing him tocollect on their properties in Saline County. 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New Records of Parasites (Apicomplexa, Nematoda, Acari, Anoplura) from Rodents in Arkansas

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