Helminth parasites of the western painted turtle, Chrysemys picta belli (Gray), including Neopolystoma elizabethae n. sp (Monogenea : Polystomatidae), a parasite of the conjunctival sac

Neopolystoma elizabethae n. sp. is described from the conjunctival sac of t he western painted turtle Chrysemys picta belli (Gray), from the Upper Peni nsula of Michigan. This is the first species found in this location from ch elonians in North America. The new species differs from all other species o f Neopolystoma in possessing a circle of 8 genital spines that are recurved and possess a crescent-shaped base. Eight additional species of helminths were found in the 5 turtles examined in this study. All are common parasite s of North American freshwater turtles. An additional species of Monogenea (Polysiomoides pauli) was found in the oral cavity. Four species of Digenea (Eustomos chelydrae, Allassostomoides chelydrae, Spirorchis kirki, and Spi rorchis parvus) and 3 species of Nematoda (Spiroxys contorta, Serpinema tri spinosus, and Amphibiocapillaria serpentina) were also found. The following are reported from Michigan for the first time: P. pauli, S. kirki, and A. serpentina.