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

• 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: Rangifer tarandus
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z88-067; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z88-067

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.