Composition of helminth communities in montane and lowland populations of the western fence lizard, Sceloporus occidentalis from Los Angeles County, California

Five hundred seventy-two Sceloporus occidentalis from Los Angeles County, California, were examined for helminths: 200 from the San Gabriel Mountains (montane, ca. 1584 m elevation) and 372 from the Puente Hills (lowland, ca. 150 m elevation). The component helminth community of the montane fence lizard population consisted of four species: two species of cestodes, A Mesocestoides sp. and Oochoristica scelopori and two species of nematodes, Physaloptera retusa and Spauligodon giganticus. The component helminth community of the lowland fence lizard population contained three species: Mesocestoides sp., Physaloptera retusa and unidentified nematode acuariid larvae. The two helminth communities are dissimilar in composition.