Gastrointestinal Helminths of the Hong Kong Whipping Frog, Polypedates megacephalus (Anura: Rhacophoridae), from Northern Taiwan, Republic of China

摘要

Forty-five individuals of Polypedates megacephalus were collected from northern Taiwan for dietary analysis. The helminths from 10 infected sampled specimens included representatives of 1 species of Acanthocephala, Pseudoacanthocephalus bufonis, and 2 species of Nemato-da, Cosmocerca ornata and Oswaldocruzia hoepplii. Polypedates megacephalus is a new host record for both C. ornata and O. hoepplii.Polypedates megacephalus (Hallowell, 1861) has a natural distribution that extends through southern China, Hong Kong, and the Southeast Asian Peninsula (Yang, 2011). In a recent revision by Kuraishi et al. (2011), the P. megacephalus population in Taiwan was found to be distinct from the mainland population and was subsequently assigned to the revalidated name Polypedates braueri (Vogt, 1911). However, an exotic invasive population of P. megacephalus was discovered in Taiwan (Yang, 2011). Herein we report on the gastrointestinal helminths recorded from P. megacephalus collected in northern Taiwan.In April, May, and July, 2012, individuals of P. megacephalus were collected by hand at night in Waziwei Nature Reserve, Bali District, New Taipei City, Taiwan, as part of a population management program.