Development of Physaloptera maxillaris (Nematoda: Physalopteroidea) in skunk (Mephitis mephitis) and the role of paratenic and other hosts in its life cycle

Abstract

The development of Physaloptera maxillaris in skunk (Mephitis mephitis) was examined. The third moult was first observed at 5 days after infection and the fourth at 10 days. The prepatent period was determined as 41–45 days in skunk maintained under summer conditions. Various stages occurring in skunk are briefly described. Development of worms from the third stage to adulthood was consistently asynchronous in skunk.The striped skunk appears to be the only suitable definitive host of P. maxillaris. Experimentally it was not possible to produce patent infection in dogs (Canisfamiliaris), cats (Felis catus), mink (Mustela vison), ferrets (Mustela furo), rats (Rattus norvegicus), or raccoons (Procyon lotor) fed on the same diet as skunk. P. maxillaris is redescribed briefly.Leopard frogs (Rana pipiens) and garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis) may be potential paratenic hosts of P. maxillaris. Third-stage larvae did not penetrate tissues but remained in the gut for several days after infection and retained their infectivity. However, frogs and snakes are apparently not important components of the diet of skunk in the Guelph area.