Larval nematodes infecting Amphiporeia virginiana (Amphipoda: Pontoporeioidea) on Sable Island, Nova Scotia.

Three species of larval nematodes were found infecting the nearshore subtidal amphipod Amphiporeia virginiana collected from beaches on Sable Island, Nova Scotia. Five and 2 sealworms, Pseudoterranova decipiens s.l., were found in 2,020 and 2,044 amphipods, respectively, collected in 1991 and 1992, dissected, and examined microscopically. Two sealworms, 1 Paracuaria adunca and 1 Ascarophis sp., were found in 5,157 amphipods collected in 1992 and enzymatically digested. Infection with each species constitutes a new host record. These 3 nematodes possess the capability to infect a wide variety of invertebrate intermediate hosts. The shoreline niche of A. virginiana places it in close proximity to the sealworm's definitive host, the grey seal, which hauls out on Sable Island in abundance. The amphipod's distribution also places it in the vicinity of both the definitive hosts of Ascarophis sp. (marine fish) and P. adunca (piscivorous birds).