Helminth parasitism in raccoons, Procyon lotor hirtus Nelson and Goldman, in Saskatchewan

Thirty-one raccoons, Procyon lotor hirtus Nelson and Goldman, from southern Saskatchewan, Canada, were examined for helminths. Six species were recovered: Plagiorchis cf. cf. elegans (Rudolphi, 1802); Alaria marcianae (LaRue, 1917); Pharyngostomoides adenocephala Beckerdite, Harkema and Miller, 1971; Microphalus sp.; Atriotaenia procyonis (Chandler, 1942); and Physaloptera sp. Comparisons were made with findings in a series of 25 raccoons from the midwestern United States and with published results and surveys in other regions. Notable variation exists in species diversity and intensity of infection of parasites in raccoons from different geographic regions. This is a consequence of diverse ecological conditions in different geographic regions. Since P. lotor is extending its range in Saskatchewan, it is suggested that the low diversity of its helminthic fauna may be attributable to dispersal of animals into regions where they persist in low numbers and where conditions are not suitable for completion of life cycles of helminths that elsewhere occur commonly in raccoons. The trematodes P. elegans and A. marcianae have not been previously reported from raccoons.