title: Metazoan parasites of the eastern cottontail rabbit in western Kentucky.
abstract: Forty-five eastern cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus floridanus Allen), collected over a 15 mo period from two areas of western Kentucky, were examined for disease conditions, helminth and arthropod parasites. A single lymphosarcoma, two cutaneous papillomas and the following parasites were identified: Hasstilesia tricolor, Taenia pisiformis, Cittotaenia variabilis, Raillietina stilesiella, Obeliscoides cuniculi, Trichuris leporis, Longistriata noviberiae, Trichostrongylus calcaratus, Dermatoxys veligera, Odontopsyllus multispinosus, Cediopsylla simplex, Haemaphysalis leporispalustris, Ixodes dentatus, Amblyomma americanum, and Dermacentor variabilis. Simpson's Indices indicated that parasite communities were fairly diverse, with some degree of dominance exhibited by O. cuniculi, T. pisiformis and H. leporispalustris. The parasite faunas of rabbits from the two areas were similar. Hasstilesia tricolor was associated with the absence of kidney fat.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D004478:Ectoparasitic Infestations / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D006373:Helminthiasis / Q000209:etiology; D006374:Helminthiasis, Animal; D007629:Kentucky; D008297:Male; D010272:Parasitic Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D010273:Parasitic Diseases, Animal; D011817:Rabbits