WHIPWORM (TRICHURIS DIPODOMYS) INFECTION IN KANGAROO RATS (DIPOOMYS SPP) - EFFECTS ON DIGESTIVE EFFICIENCY

To determine whether infections by whipworms (Trichuris dipodomys [Nem atoda: Trichurata: Trichuridae]) might affect digestive efficiency and therefore energy budgets of two species of kangaroo rats (Dipodonys m icrops and Dipodomys ordii [Rodentia: Heteromyidae]), we compared the apparent dry matter digestibility of three groups of hosts: those natu rally infected with whipworms, those naturally uninfected with whipwor ms, and those originally naturally infected but later deinfected by tr eatment with the anthelminthic Ivermectin. Prevalence of T. dipodomys was higher in D. microps (53%) than in D. ordii (14%). Apparent dry ma tter digestibility was reduced by whipworm infection in D. microps but not in D. ordii. Although a statistically significant effect was show n, its small magnitude indicates that whipworm infection is unlikely t o have a biologically significant impact on the energy budgets of host kangaroo rats.