Ecological analysis of the community helminths of the marsh frog Pelophylax ridibundus (Pallas, 1771) (Anura: Amphibia) in the Mari El Republic

The results of ecological analysis of the helminth community of the marsh frog Pelophylax ridibundus (Pallas, 1771) from biocenoses on the territory of the Republic of Mari El are presented for the first time. In 2015, 35 specimens of amphibians from two (urban and natural) populations were examined using the full helminthological autopsy method. Eighteen helminth species of two classes were recorded: Trematoda (16) and Chromadorea (2). The composition of helminths and their community structure are typical for a given host under the conditions of the middle zone of European Russia, but vary between populations; infestation of individual species varies. The differences identified indicate a certain degree of anthropogenic impact for amphibians of the urban population. However, the complicated structure of the helminth community allows us to speak only about a weak degree of transformation of the forest-park ecosystem of Yoshkar-Ola. Close values of species diversity indices against the background of the absence of their reliable significance assert that the differences in the infestation of lake frogs of urban and natural populations are not pronounced.