New Course: Parasite Ecology Laboratory. 704:303 (1 credit)
Description:
This course will offer laboratory exercises on parasite identification, data collection, and
the identification of ecological patterns of parasite infection in the local macrofauna. It is meant to
be taken concurrently with Parasite Ecology 704:302.
Parasite Ecology essentially addresses the patterns and mechanisms that lead to parasite
establishment and persistence in free living animal populations and communities. In this course,
we will focus on metazoan parasites and emphasize parasite collection and identification from
animals native to New Jersey. We will also consider parasite-host specificity (i.e. who infects who
and where) and transmission (host-to-host interactions and parasite life cycles). The lab portion of
the course was designed to augment lecture with hands-on examples that expose students to the
world of parasites which exist in their own backyard.
Course objectives: Parasites are an integral part of all animal (and plant) communities, and they
are present in every known species population. Our goal is to (1) introduce you to the parasite
fauna of several non-model (i.e. wild) animals and the habitats in which these animals are found,
(2) familiarize you with many of the methodologies standard to the field of parasitology and (3)
get you thinking about some of the more theoretical aspects of ecology that are critical to
understanding the life cycles of parasites in natural systems.
TABLE OF CONTENTS – Lab Manual
Laboratory 1- Sample Survey of Raritan River Community (week 1)
- Microscope Introduction/Invertebrate I.D. (week 2)
page
14
Laboratory 2- Parasitological Dissection of Frog (sp.)
26
Laboratory 3- Parasitological Dissection of Fish (sp., and sp.)
32
Laboratory 4- Field Trip to Raven Lake to collect snails
(Helisoma trivolvis)
38
Laboratory 5- Parasitological Dissection of marine and freshwater
snails Fecal Floatation
42
Laboratory 6- Cercarial emergence
Echinostome metacercarial encystment
48
Laboratory 7- Data analysis and mathematical modeling of
Parasite-host systems (week 1)
56
Laboratory 8- Data analysis and mathematical modeling of
Parasite-host systems (week 2)
62
Laboratory 9- What is Parasite Ecology?: a recap
69
Appendices A-G
70
LABORATORY SCHEDULE
Laboratory 1- Field Trip to Raritan River (part
one)
Laboratory 1- Microscope
Introduction/Invertebrate I.D. (part 2)
Laboratory 2- Parasitological Dissection of Frog
(Rana sp.)
Laboratory 3- Parasitological Dissection of Fish
(Lepomis sp., and Fundulus sp.)
Laboratory 4- Field Trip to nearby pond
Laboratory 5- Parasitological Dissection of snail
(sp.) and Fecal Floatation
Laboratory 6- Cercarial emergence and
Echinostome metacercarial encystment
Laboratory 7- Data analysis and mathematical
modeling of parasite-host systems (week one)
Laboratory 8- Data analysis and mathematical
modeling of parasite-host systems (week 2)
Laboratory 9- What is Parasite Ecology?: a recap
DATE
T 9-15, F 918
T 9-22, F 925
T 9-29, F
10-2
T 10-6, F
10-9
T 10-13, F
10-16
T 10-20, F
10-23
T 10-27, F
10-30
T 11-3, F
11-6
T 11-10, F
11-13
T 11-17, F
11-20
ASSIGNMENTS
DUE
PAGE
Pre-lab1
14
In-class 1
15
Pre-lab 2
26
Pre-lab 3
32
Pre-lab 4
38
In-class 2
42
Pre-lab 5
48
In-class 3
56
none
In-class discussion
and Field Report
62
69