NOTES 495

MICROFILARIAE IN ONTARIO SKUNKS: FINAL REPORT

W. A. WEBSTER

Since the initial report (1) on the occurrence of microfilariae in brain im- pression smears of Ontario skunks, an additional 281 skunks have been ex- amined. This final group was surveyed by means of the histological techniques on brain material as previously outlined (2).

Of these 281 skunk brains, 36 (12.8%) showed the presence of microfilariae. This figure compares favorably with the percentage (14.1%) found previously by means of a brain impression smear technique.

Figure 1 shows the distribution of all microfilariae-positive skunks found during the complete 2-year study period. I t is probable that all microfilariae were those of Dipetalonema mephitis, although a specific identification could not be made from histological sections.

In addition, microfilariae have been found in the brain of a skunk from St. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec, as well a s in skunks from Hull, Quebec (2).

L . . " "" I . . ,

FIG. 1. Location of skunks showing microfilariae in brain tissue.

1. WEBSTER, W. A. and BEAUREGARD, M. 1964. Microflaria mephitis n. sp. (Filarioidea: Dipet- alonernatidae) from the brain of a skunk: with notes on its occurrence in Ontario. Can. J. Zool. 42, 811-815.

2. WEBSTER, W. A. and BEAUREGARD, M. 1965. Dipetalonema mephitis n. comb. ( = Muro- jilaria mephitis: Webster and Beauregard, 1964) from the skunk, Mephitis mephitis. Can. J . Zool. 43, 325-332.

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