GASTROINTESTINAL HELMINTHS OF SCELOPORUS LIZARDS (PHRYNOSOMATIDAE) FROM ARIZONA

Five species of Arizona spiny lizards were examined for gastrointestin al helminths. Sceloporus clarkii (N = 20) harbored the cestodes Mesoce stoides sp. and Oochoristica scelopori and the nematodes Atractis penn eri, Physaloptera retusa, Piratuba prolifica, Skrjabinoptera phrynosom a, and Spauligodon giganticus. Sceloporus magister (N = 15) harbored A , penneri, Ph. retusa, and Sk. phrynosoma. Sceloporus undulatus consob rinus (N = 30) harbored O. scelopori and Ph. retusa. Sceloporus undula tus tristichus (N = 18) harbored Mesocestoides sp., Ph. retusa, and Sp . giganticus. Sceloporus virgatus (N = 23) harbored A. penneri and Ph. retusa. No helminths were recovered from Sceloporus graciosus (N = 20 ). Sceloporus clarkii is a new host record for Mesocestoides sp., O. s celopori, Ph. retusa, Pi. prolifica, and Sk. phrynosoma. Sceloporus un dulatus consobrinus is a new host record for O. scelopori. Sceloporus undulatus tristichus is a new host record for Mesocestoides sp. Scelop orus virgatus is a new host record for A. penneri and Ph. retusa. The highest prevalence in the study (55%) was recorded for Ph. retusa in S . clarkii. The highest mean intensity (1,682) was recorded for A. penn eri in S. magister. It appears that larger species of sceloporine liza rds have more diverse helminth faunas than smaller species.