Brevimulticaecum sp. larvae (Nematoda: Anisakidae) from the frog Hyla minuta Peters in Trinidad

Encapsulated third stage nematode larvae collected from the abdominal cavity of the Trinidadian hylid frog Hyla minuta are referred to the rare anisakid genus Brevimulticaecum. These are the first specimens of Brevimulticaecum from a tropical frog, their presence may reflect the importance of amphibians as intermediate or paratenic hosts of reptilian parasites. (AU)

Leptospires in the whistling frog (Eleutherodactylus johnstonei) on Barbados

Two groups of whistling frogs (Eleutherodactylus johnstonei) comprising 99 and 117 animals were examined for leptospiral infection. Group I animals were caught in 14 areas of Barbados, and group II animals in seven areas of suburban Bridgetown. Leptospires were isolated from the kidneys or body fluid of six frogs in Group I and the kidneys of 3 frogs in Group II. Two of the group I isolates died; the others were identified as bajan (a new serovar in the Australis serogroup) (6) and bim (Autumnalis) (1). The macerated body tissues and fluid of Group I frogs were put into phosphate buffered saline and examined by the microscopic agglutination test using 22 antigens. The results were all negative. For the Group II frogs the methodology was altered; blood was collected unto filter paper discs and allowed to dry out before being agitated in PBS and examined by the MAT. 15/117 (12.8 percent) animals were positive at o 1:50. The geometric mean titre was 179. Seventeen of the sera reacted predominantly to antigens in the Australis serogroup, and two to Pyrogens on its own. The serological results reflected the identity of the isolates. Serovars of Australis are not known to cause illness on Barbados, but bim is the commonest cause of severe leptospirosis on the island. (AU)

Predation on peridomestic mosquitoes by hylid tadpoles on Grand Bahamas Island

In order to determine whether tadpoles of Hyla septentrionalis are effective predators of larval peridomestic mosquitoes, larvae were exposed to tadpoles and the association between larvae and tadpoles in nature was recorded. Tadpoles were cannibalistic, eating egg masses of their own species, as well as a variety of material of both plant and animal origin. Tadpoles captured and ate more than 13 larval Culex pipiens per day. In natural breeding sites on Grand Bahamas Island, larval C. papiens were never abundant in sites that contained tadpoles and when tadpoles were introduced into vessels that contained mosquitoes, these containers soon became free of mosquitoes. The habitat of H. septentrionlis tadpoles in the study area seemed identical to that of larval C. papiens and more than half of apparently suitable sites contained tadpoles. Thus, the presence of these frogs appeared to limit the abundance of C. papiens.(AU)