Pictured: George and Michael collecting salamander larvae to check for Bd fungus.
Dr. Chris McAllister (NTCC-Biology) and his independent study students, George Burrows and Michael Rodriguez, visited the Fountain Spring House of the Ouachita Mountains Biological Station on April 25-28 near Mena, Arkansas, to conduct their ongoing research on vertebrate parasites.
Even though it rained on and off they were able to discover several new species of myxozoan parasites on the gills of fishes. In addition, they collected frogs and salamanders to survey them for Bd (chytrid) fungus, that causes chytridiomycosis, an infectious fungal disease that is pathogenic to amphibians and has caused extinctions all over the world.
Dr. Mac will offer 2-hr and a 3-hr independent research courses from the biology department this coming fall for those interested in speaking with him about possibly enrolling. You can reach him at cmcallister@ntcc.edu or 903-434-8286.
