Host Specificity of Oxyspirura petrowi in Wild Turkey

The Rolling Plains ecoregion of Texas hosts the highest known prevalence and intensity of the eyeworm Oxyspirura petrowi among Colinus virginianus (Northern Bobwhite) in the US. Meleagris gallopavo (Wild Turkey) and the Northern Bobwhite have a similar diet (i.e.. facultative insectivore), overlapping ranges, and phylogenetic relatedness (i.e., Galliformes); thus, we expected Wild Turkeys sympatric with an infected population of wild Northern Bobwhites to also host eyeworms. In 2014, we dissected 104 Wild Turkey and 50 Northern Bobwhite heads from a 27,530-ha area in Roberts County, TX. Only 1 turkey (female) was infected with a single eyeworm. Prevalence, mean abundance (+/- SE), and mean intensity (+/- SE) among Northern Bobwhites on the same area was 58%, 7.6 +/- 1.8, and 13.1 +/- 2.7, respectively. Eycworm prevalence between Northern Bobwhite males (n = 25, 64%) and females (n = 25, 52%) was not statistically different (P = 0.57). Mean abundance (+/- SE) was similar between males (8.8 +/- 2.6) and females (6.4 +/- 2.5; P = 0.53), and mean intensity between males (13.7 +/- 3.5) and females (12.4 +/- 4.3) did not differ (P = 0.71). Wild Turkeys do not appear to be suitable hosts for O. petrowi.