| Abstrakt: |
Turtles were collected from three habitats in the upper reach of Pool 20, Mississippi River-open river, slough, and backwater. One hundred thirty-nine turtles of six species were examined for epizoites, but only red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta), common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina), painted turtle (Chrysemys scripta), and softshelled turtles (Apolone spp.) were collected in sufficient numbers for data analysis. Five epizoites were attached directly to turtles, including three leech species of the genus Placobdella, algae of the genus Basicladia, and the protozoan Vorticella sp. All hard shelled turtle species carried all five epozoites, but softshelled species carried only Placobdella multilineata, P. ornata, and Vorticella sp. The highest infestation rates occurred on snapping turtles with 94% leeches, 94% algae, and 48% Vorticella sp. The lowest rates for each group of epizoites were for the painted turtle with 26% leeches and softshelled turtles with 0% algae and 5% Vorticella sp. Habitat specificity was found for P. Ornata and Vorticella sp., both of which occurred significantly more frequently on the snapping turtle and the red-eared slider in the backwater habitat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
