Assessing another potential threat to the snakes of Killdeer Plains Wildlife Area: Cryptosporidium serpentis

Advisor(s)

Katherine L. Krynak

Confirmation

1

Document Type

Poster

Location

McIntosh Activities Room

Start Date

19-4-2024 10:00 AM

End Date

19-4-2024 10:50 AM

Abstract

Assessing another potential threat to the snakes of Killdeer Plains Wildlife Area: Cryptosporidium serpentis

Grant M. Beck 1 g-beck.1@onu.edu Joseph R. Szoke 1 j-szoke@onu.edu Riley L. Yunker 1 r-yunker.1@onu.edu Pam Dennis, MSL, DVM, PhD 2 pmd@clevelandmetroparks.com Amy Aulthouse PhD 1 a-aulthouse@onu.edu Dennis De Luca PhD 1 d-deluca@onu.edu Eileen Wyza 3 Eileen.wyza@dnr.ohio.gov Katherine Krynak PhD 1 k-krynak@onu.edu

1. Ohio Northern University, Ada, Ohio 45810 2. Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, Cleveland, Ohio 44109 3. Ohio Division of Wildlife, Columbus, Ohio, 43229

Ohio snakes are threatened by numerous synergistically acting factors including habitat degradation, predation by feral cats, misguided fears, and pathogens/parasites. Two notable pathogenic threats are Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola, which causes snake fungal disease and a protozoan parasite, Cryptosporidium serpentis. C. serpentis affects the gastrointestinal tract causing weight loss and ultimately death. It is primarily known from zoo-housed animals. This parasite was recently discovered in Thamnophis radix at both Ohio Northern University and Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, threatening the captive breeding program of this state endangered species. Infections were diagnosed via molecular and histological techniques. These snakes had been originally collected at Killdeer Plains Wildlife Area (KPWA) located in Wyandot and Marion Counties. Given that these snakes had been quarantined since collection, it begs the question: how prevalent is C. serpentis infection in wild snake populations at KPWA? We propose to use the annual snake surveys hosted by ODNR to study prevalence of this parasite across snake species. KPWA is home to four imperiled species: massausaga rattlesnake (Sistrurus catenatus), Kirtland's snake (Clonophis kirtlandii), plains gartersnake (Thamnophis radix), and smooth green snake (Opheodrys vernalis). We are proposing to utilize visual encounter surveys and coverboard arrays to collect snakes for our survey. Cloacal swabs and subsequent qPCR analysis would be used to examine parasite load across species. We predict that prey species and habitat preferences of the snakes may influence Cryptosporidium sp. prevalence.

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Apr 19th, 10:00 AM Apr 19th, 10:50 AM

Assessing another potential threat to the snakes of Killdeer Plains Wildlife Area: Cryptosporidium serpentis

McIntosh Activities Room

Assessing another potential threat to the snakes of Killdeer Plains Wildlife Area: Cryptosporidium serpentis

Grant M. Beck 1 g-beck.1@onu.edu Joseph R. Szoke 1 j-szoke@onu.edu Riley L. Yunker 1 r-yunker.1@onu.edu Pam Dennis, MSL, DVM, PhD 2 pmd@clevelandmetroparks.com Amy Aulthouse PhD 1 a-aulthouse@onu.edu Dennis De Luca PhD 1 d-deluca@onu.edu Eileen Wyza 3 Eileen.wyza@dnr.ohio.gov Katherine Krynak PhD 1 k-krynak@onu.edu

1. Ohio Northern University, Ada, Ohio 45810 2. Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, Cleveland, Ohio 44109 3. Ohio Division of Wildlife, Columbus, Ohio, 43229

Ohio snakes are threatened by numerous synergistically acting factors including habitat degradation, predation by feral cats, misguided fears, and pathogens/parasites. Two notable pathogenic threats are Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola, which causes snake fungal disease and a protozoan parasite, Cryptosporidium serpentis. C. serpentis affects the gastrointestinal tract causing weight loss and ultimately death. It is primarily known from zoo-housed animals. This parasite was recently discovered in Thamnophis radix at both Ohio Northern University and Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, threatening the captive breeding program of this state endangered species. Infections were diagnosed via molecular and histological techniques. These snakes had been originally collected at Killdeer Plains Wildlife Area (KPWA) located in Wyandot and Marion Counties. Given that these snakes had been quarantined since collection, it begs the question: how prevalent is C. serpentis infection in wild snake populations at KPWA? We propose to use the annual snake surveys hosted by ODNR to study prevalence of this parasite across snake species. KPWA is home to four imperiled species: massausaga rattlesnake (Sistrurus catenatus), Kirtland's snake (Clonophis kirtlandii), plains gartersnake (Thamnophis radix), and smooth green snake (Opheodrys vernalis). We are proposing to utilize visual encounter surveys and coverboard arrays to collect snakes for our survey. Cloacal swabs and subsequent qPCR analysis would be used to examine parasite load across species. We predict that prey species and habitat preferences of the snakes may influence Cryptosporidium sp. prevalence.