Tag: parasite of the month
Marine Mammal Parasite of the Month- January 2022 Answer
This parasite is Stenurus minor! Most often found in the cranial sinuses and lungs, it is likely that cranial sinuses are the definitive site for adult parasites to grow and thrive. S. minor infects the frontal sinuses more so than the ear sinuses but has been found in high numbers in the middle ear. It puts pressure on the tympanic cavity, the round window, and the oval window and plugs the middle […]
Marine Mammal Parasite of the Month- January 2022
This parasite is a lungworm and earworm in the family Pseudaliidae and it is the most common parasite in the ear of harbor porpoises in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the Bay of Fundy, the French Atlantic, and the Baltic Sea. In general, this parasite is found in high densities. A limited number of studies […]
Marine Mammal Parasite of the Month Answer -November 2021
This parasite is Antarctophthirus microchir and it’s found in sea lions! It’s actually been found in 5 species of sea lion in Australia, New Zealand, North America, and South America. In pups, they are found on the chest and belly primarily, possibly because other areas are too exposed to the sun. Research on adult sea […]
Marine Mammal Parasite of the Month- November 2021
This parasite is an insect from the suborder Anoplura, which consists of sucking lice. Like other insects, they have antennae, a thorax, an abdomen, and legs. Unlike other insects, they have no eyes, and their mouth contains 2 rows of 4 large hooks. Their thorax is shaped like a trapezoid and covered in long hairs […]
Marine Mammal Parasite of the Month- October 2021 Answer
This parasite is Braunina cordiformis! Remember last time how we said it was heart shaped? Well, cordiform means heart shaped, so its scientific name is actually based on its shape! This parasite is the only species in the family Brauninidae and is found in the fundic (main) and pyloric stomachs and duodenal ampullae. It’s thought […]
Marine Mammal Parasite of the Month- October 2021
This parasite is a helminth, also known as a parasitic worm, in the Trematoda class. It’s classified as a flatworm called a fluke and is found in cetaceans, primarily those in the family Dephinidae. It been found in bottlenose dolphins, dusky dolphins, Commerson’s dolphins, short beaked common dolphins, tucuxi, estuarine dolphins, Chilean dolphins, rough-toothed dolphins, […]
Marine Mammal Parasite of the Month- August 2021 Answer
This month’s parasite was the Corynosoma enhydri, a member of the thorny-headed worm community that only has one definitive host, the sea otter. The only way to determine if a sea otter is infected is through a fecal diagnosis or through a necropsy since this parasite does not present any visual signs of infection in […]
Marine Mammal Parasite of the Month- August 2021
This marine mammal parasite is a part of the acanthocephalan family but only has one species for a primary host, the sea otter. This parasite is found in sea otters of all ages, the youngest being 1 month old. Since sea otters are introduced to solid food at around 3 weeks of age by their […]
Marine Parasite of the Month- July 2021
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 […]
Marine Mammal Parasite of the Month- Answer June 2021
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 […]
National Marine Life Center
Good evening to all of our wonderful supporters! We are nearing the end of the year, which means....it's time to vote for NMLC's 2025 seal
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🍦New Patient Alert🍦 Meet Nutty Buddy! Nutty Buddy is a male grey seal yearling who was rescued by our friends at Whale and Dolphin Conservation
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We are absolutely loving the updates on our chilly Cape Cod sea turtles! Keep ‘em coming, The Florida Aquarium!