Study of blood parasites in marsh frog (Pelophylax ridibundus) in north of Iran

Anuranare semi- aquatic species of amphibian, harbored different speciesof blood parasites. In this study a total of 66 adult marsh frogs were captured from north of Iran between April- July 2017 in order to investigate for blood parasites fauna. Samples of blood were collected from the facial vein or by cardiac puncture depending on the size of the frogs. The blood smears were dried, fixed with methanol and stained with Gimsa solution. Samples were examined by light microscopy using a 100 × magnification lens and immersion oil in search for hemoparasites. Their hematozoan fauna included intraerythrocytic Rickettsials and Haemogregarines as well as interearythrocytic microfilariae and different morphologically distincttypes of trypanosomes. This is the first comprehensive morphological study of blood parasites within the marsh frog from Iran, a study hoped to encourage the use of phylogenetic analysis that will give a better indication of these parasites possible vectors and life cycle dynamics.