Incidence of a Parasitic Ascarid, Porrocaecum decipiens, in the Common Porpoise, Phocoena phocoena, from the Lower Bay of Fundy

Abstract

Examinations were made of nematodes from the stomachs of 150 common porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) collected from 1952 to 1956 from the lower Bay of Fundy, one common porpoise from St. Ann's Bay, Nova Scotia, and one white whale, (Delphinapterus leucas) from Mace's Bay, New Brunswick.One adult Porrocaecum was found. Larval Porrocaecum in numbers ranging from 1 to 21 were found in about 25% of 50 porpoise stomachs collected in 1955 and 1956. Eighty larval Porrocaecum were present in the stomach of the white whale. No trace of reproductive organs was observed in any of the larval Porrocaecum.It is concluded that the common porpoise in the lower Bay of Fundy is not an important host of adult P. decipiens.