Date of Award

1983

Degree Name

Biological Sciences

College

College of Science

Type of Degree

M.S.

Document Type

Thesis

First Advisor

James Joy

Abstract

Aspidogaster conchicola and Cotylaspis insignis were only two aspidogastrid trematodes recovered in a year long study involving 500 bivalves (22 species) collected from a thirteen county area in western West Virginia. Also collected were three species of aquatic mites identified as: Union­ icola fossulata, Unionicola formosa, and Najadicola ingens. Only ten species of mussels were infested with trematodes: Pleurabema cordatum (100%); Anodonta grandis (70% for A•conchicola, 60% for Q. insignia); Potamilus alata (50%); Tritogonia verrucosa (46%); Strophitus undulatus (6.25%); guadrula guadrula (33%); Amblema plicata (31%); guadrula postulosa (50%); Lampsilis ventricosa (7.11%); Lampsilis radiata luteola (7.12% for A. conchiocola, 10.2% for Q.insignia). A total of 1067 trematode individuals (990 A•conchicola; 77 g. insignia) was recovered from the above clams. Parasite load was greatest in Potamilus alata at39.5 per host, and lowest in Lampsilis radiata luteola at2.0 per host. Numbers of A• conchicola for each species were highest in Potamilus alata_t 435 per species and lowest in Quadrula pustulosa at 4.0. The number of Q.insignisfor each bivalve species was highest in Anodonta grandis at 143 per host, and lowest in Lampsilis radiata luteola at 2.0 per host.Larval trematodes were collected from mussels on two occasions. Beechfork of Twelvepole Creek on 20 July 1981, and again on 7 iVlay 1982 at South Fork of Hughes RiverS.l te /1;-/7. Beechfork had two trematodGs with low nunbers of immatures in each host. Of 176 mites, 133 were]. fossulata, 41 were Q. fo£individuals and two additional mites were recovered but the author was unable to assign it to a genus. Unionicola fossulata individuals were recovered from seven mussel species while five mussel species wore hosts for Unionj_cola form OSEl;. Najadicola ingens was found in two Lampsilis radiata luteola individuals.

Subject(s)

Trematoda - Parasites - Bivalvia - West Virginia.

Trematoda - West Virginia.

Bivalvia - West Virginia.

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