Community structure of the helminths of Lithobates spectabilis (Anura: Ranidae) from two localities in the Biosphere Reserve Barranca de Metztitlán, Hidalgo, Mexico

Abstract

The helminth community of Lithobates spectabilis (n =77) was studied from Las Pilas (low altitude) and Metznoxtla (high altitude), Biosphere Reserve Barranca de Metztitlán, Hidalgo, Mexico. Species diversity was compared at the infracommunity and the component community level using Hill numbers, and the beta diversity was calculated. Five species of Digenea, 5 of Nematoda, and 2 of Acanthocephala were found in the frogs from the 2 localities. The species richness of parasites in Las Pilas (9 species) was higher than that of Metznoxtla (7 species). The helminth community in Las Pilas was dominated by nematodes and, in Metznoxtla, it was dominated by digeneans. The most prevalent species in Las Pilas was Foleyellides cf. flexicauda (65% of frogs were infected) and, in Metznoxtla, it was Megalodiscus americanus (76% were infected). Glypthelmins quieta was the species with the highest mean abundance in both localities (Las Pilas = 4.5; Metznoxtla = 11.0). The difference in species composition between the 2 localities was significant (Anosim; R = 0.54, p < 0.05). The differences in the composition of species of helminths between the 2 localities suggest that local environmental conditions are different, which may reflect differences in local host diet.