HELMINTH-PARASITES OF THE SPOTTED SALAMANDER AMBYSTOMA-MACULATUM AND RED-BACKED SALAMANDER PLETHODON-C-CINEREUS FROM NORTHWESTERN WISCONSIN

Twenty spotted salamanders Ambystoma maculatum and 20 red-backed salam anders Plethodon c. cinereus were collected from NW Wisconsin in May 1 996 and examined for helminth parasites. Two species of helminths infe cted the spotted salamanders, while 3 species infected the red-backed salamanders. The nematode Batracholandros magnavulvaris had the higest prevalence in spotted salamanders (45%), while the nematode Rhabdias sp. had the highest prevalence in red-backed salamanders (30%). The tr ematode Brachycoelium salamandrae had the highest mean intensity in bo th hosts, 3.3 in A. maculatum and 2.0 in P. c. cinereus. This is the f irst report of B. magnavulvaris from Ambystoma maculatum as well as th e first report of it from Wisconsin.