HELMINTHS OF MINK, MUSTELA-VISON, AND MUSKRATS, ONDATRA-ZIBETHICUS, IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS

Five species of helminths were detected in 50 mink, Mustela vison, and 3 in 50 muskrats, Ondatra zibethicus, taken between fail 1993 and Fal l 1995 From Randolph, Monroe, Washington, and Jackson counties in sout hern Illinois. Although both mammals share similar habitats and some c ommon food items, their endoparasites were dissimilar. Species and pre valences of infection for mink included Capillaria putorii (34%), Diro filaria immitis (2%), Filaroides martis (62%), Molineus sp. (2%), and Paragonimus kellicotti (14%), whereas those for muskrats included Echi nostroma trivolvis (42%), Quinqueserialis quinqueserialis (18%), and T aenia taeniaeformis cysticerci (22%). All helminths from M. vison and T. taeniaeformis cysticerci from O. zibethicus in Illinois constitute new geographic locality records. Dirofilaria immitis in M. vison repre sents a new host record.