Category: Featured


Marine Parasite of the Month July 2021-Answer

The parasite for this month was the Loxothylacus panopaei, which is often just referred to as a crab barnacle that can change the gender of a crab. The most common way to identify this parasite is by looking on the underside of the crab for what looks like an egg sac, but is really a […]

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Marine Parasite of the Month- July 2021

parasite

Some parasites can do crazy things, but this month’s parasite can actually change the gender of a crab. A mud crab-specific parasite, this organism is an invasive barnacle, and commonly found in the Chesapeake Bay area as well as the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean, and other parts of Florida. It is speculated that they […]

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Marine Mammal Parasite of the Month- Answer June 2021

parasite of the month

The parasite for this month was Toxoplasma gondii, the toxoplasmosis disease-causing parasite. When marine mammals contract this disease, they can have many different symptoms such as anorexia, increased temperatures, swollen tonsils, and flipper lesions. In a study done by the United States Department of Agriculture, it was found that T. gondii caused mortality in sea […]

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Marine Mammal Parasite of the Month- June 2021

parasite

This parasite is a protozoan that infects most warm-blooded animals, including humans, and causes the disease toxoplasmosis. As far as marine mammals go, this parasite has been observed in sea otters, manatees, harbor seals, northern fur seals, sea lions, and many cetacean species. Humans can become infected by several routes, including eating under-cooked meat of […]

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Marine Mammal Parasite of the Month Answer- April 2021

marine mammal parasite of the month

This parasite is the marine mammal lungworm! Here at NMLC the most common lung worm infections we see present in our seals are Otostrongylus circumlitus and Parafilaroides gymnurus. These are mostly found during routine fecal analysis of our seals, but can also be seen during necropsies as well. Some of the first signs of a […]

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Marine Mammal Parasite of the Month- April 2021

parasite of the month

This type of parasite is common in pinnipeds and there are two different species commonly seen in the seals here at NMLC. Their life cycle remains a small mystery to researchers as there’s not much information regarding it, but patterns reveal that fish are the perfect intermediate hosts for these parasites. The adult form can […]

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Remembering Owls Head

Fahr's Disease

Historically harbor seal pup season has always been the busiest, most demanding season for the NMLC animal care team both physically and emotionally. It requires our team to be here round the clock, to serve as surrogates as these abandoned pups must now learn all of their critical survival skills from us without becoming habituated, and due to the fragility of these animals, the team has to be ready for anything- including death.

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Marine Mammal Parasite of the Month- March 2021 Answer

marine mammal parasite of the month

The parasite is known as the Bolbosoma species, a member of the Acanthocephala phylum. Due to its appearance, its common name is “thorny-headed worm”. A Bolbosoma infection can be diagnosed through visible larvae in the fecal matter. An animal with abdominal discomfort can also be in indicator of intestinal worms. Unfortunately, no effective treatment has […]

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Marine Mammal Parasite of the Month- March 2021

parasite of the month

This parasite is most commonly reported in cetaceans, but some cases has been seen in pinnipeds, fish and rarely humans. It is distinguishable thanks to their longitudinal rows of overlapping hooks on their proboscis, the hollow retractable extremity used to latch onto its host. This parasite can be as small as 1millimeter long or grow […]

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Patient Update: January 21, 2021

Amphitrite

Since our most recent blog post in November, a lot has been going on here at NMLC! We’ve been kept busy by a record-breaking sea turtle stranding season here on Cape Cod. Here’s a quick rundown of some details from this sea turtle season:  A total of 1174 sea turtles were reported by the Mass […]

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