Fascioloides magna (Trematoda) in woodland caribou ( Rangifer tarandus caribou) of the George River herd, Labrador

Fifty-eight percent of woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) of the George River herd, Labrador, were infected with up to 110 giant American liver flukes (Fascioloides magna). The prevalence and intensity of infection did not differ between 2 sampling years or between sexes. Prevalence tended...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Canadian Journal of Zoology
Main Authors: Lankester, Murray W., Luttich, Stu
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1988
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z88-067
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z88-067
Description
Summary:Fifty-eight percent of woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) of the George River herd, Labrador, were infected with up to 110 giant American liver flukes (Fascioloides magna). The prevalence and intensity of infection did not differ between 2 sampling years or between sexes. Prevalence tended to increase with age while intensity did not differ among age groups. Liver weight increased with intensity of infection but condition, as measured by the mean depth of back fat, did not differ between infected and uninfected animals. Caribou must be considered a suitable host of F. magna since the growth and maturation of the parasite and lesions produced in Rangifer resemble those in deer and wapiti.