Michael Elsea

Michael Elsea Wildlife Biology Department of Biological Sciences Murray State University, Murray, KY 42071. Mentor: Terry Derting Title of Presentation: Relationship Between the Occurrence of Parelaphostrongylus tenuis in White-tailed Deer and Elk The research was supported by: Department of Bilogical Sciences ABSTRACT The occurrence of Parelaphostrongy1us tenuis in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and elk (Cervus elaphus) was examined in the Tennessee Valley Authority's (TVA) Land Between the Lakes (LBL). Along with the fifteen fecal samples collected, 13 deer heads recovered from hunter harvest were inspected for the adult form of P. tenuis. Results of this study showed 19.3 larvae/g in white-tailed deer fecal samples and 6 of the 13 deer heads sampled contained P. tenuis. There were no larvae present in fecal samples collected from elk. Although there was no correlation between the infection of P. tenuis in deer and that of elk, more research is needed to fully understand the susceptibility of elk to this meningeal worm. | Previous Page | Undergraduate Research Home | | College Home Page | Date Modified January, 2000