Protozoan Parasites of the Cane Toad, Bufo-Marinus, in Australia

Abstract

A survey of the protozoan parasites of the introduced South American cane toad, Bufo marinus, was conducted between 1983 and 1984 in Queensland. In all, 267 fully grown specimens, 7 juveniles and 115 tadpoles were checked for blood, cloaca, gall bladder and, for the tadpoles only, skin protozoans, and results are compared with records of the toad's protozoans in South America. Results show that Bufo marinus has not retained any of its native blood protozoans, and that it has introduced species of intestinal and gall bladder protozoans: Trichomitus batrachorum; Zelleriella antilliensis; Hyalodaktylethra renacuajo n.g. (=Saccamoeba renacuajo); and, Myxidium immersum. The toad has adopted at least three species of native protoopalinids: Protoopalina australis; P. hylarum; and, P. raffae. The intestinal flagellates Chilomastix caulleryi, Retortamonas dobelli, Giardia agilis, Spiro- nucleus elegans, and Monocercomonas batrachorum are all new records for B. marinus. Undetermined species of Nyctotheroides were observed in the cloaca. A species of Trichodina is reported for the first time on the skin of the toad's tadpoles.