THE COMPONENT PARASITE COMMUNITY OF 3 SYMPATRIC TOAD SPECIES, BUFO-COGNATUS, BUFO-DEBILIS (BUFONIDAE), AND SPEA-MULTIPLICATA (PELOBATIDAE) FROM NEW-MEXICO

The component parasite communities in 3 sympatric species of toads fro m New Mexico were examined. Bufo cognatus (N = 36) harbored the cestod e Distoichometra bufonis and the nematodes Aplectana itzocanensis, Rha bdias americanus, and larvae of Physaloptera sp. Bufo debilis (N = 49) harbored D. bufonis, A. incerta, A. itzocanensis, R. americanus, and larvae of Physaloptera sp. Spea multiplicata (N = 31) harbored D. bufo nis, A. incerta, A. itzocanensis, and larvae of Physaloptera sp. The h ighest prevalence (69%, 34/49) was recorded for A. incerta in B. debil is. The greatest mean intensities (20) were recorded for A. incerta in B. debilis and R. americanus in B. cognatus. New Mexico is a new loca lity record for each of these species of helminths. The helminth compo nent communities are depauperate and conform to the pattern of isolati onist communities. The helminth compound community for these sympatric species of toads encompasses 5 species.