HELMINTH AND ARTHROPOD PARASITES OF EXPERIMENTALLY INTRODUCED WHOOPING-CRANES IN FLORIDA

Nine species of nematodes, unidentified larval nematodes, three specie s of trematodes, two species of acanthocephalans and a single species of chewing louse were collected from 1993 to 1995 from 25 introduced w hooping cranes (Grus americana) in Florida (USA). In spite of a quaran tine procedure involving anthelmintic therapy, three helminth parasite s may have been introduced from captive populations. Other parasites a cquired were similar to those found in a local congener, the Florida s andhill crane (Crus canadensis pratensis), or only occurred infrequent ly.