Helminth and arthropod parasites of black bear, Ursus americanus, in central Ontario

Abstract

One hundred and forty-eight black bears (Ursus americanus) from central Ontario, Canada, were examined for parasites between 1975and 1977. Nine species of helminths and two species of ectoparasites were recovered: Taenia krabbei Moniez, 1879 in 2 of 83 bears; Alaria americana Hall and Wigdor, 1918 in 1 of 83; Baylisascaris transfuga (Rudolphi 1819) in 20 of 83; Crenosoma spp. (C. petrowi Morozov, 1939, C. potos Buckley, 1930, and C. vulpis (Dujardin 1844)) in 21 of 64; Dirofilaria ursi Yamaguti, 1941 in 140 of 148; Physaloptera rara Hall and Wigdor, 1918 in 1 of 83; Trichinella sp. in 1 of 59; Oropsylla arctomys (Baker) on 1 of 5; and Trichodectes pinguis euarctidos Hopkins on 1 of 5 bears. The data are discussed in relation to previous records of parasites within central Ontario and previous reports of parasites of bears. Alaria americana is considered a new host record for North American ursids.