Favoritos de evanrandall

Pentastomid Gecko Parasite
Identified as Waddycephalus on Bowerbird by Ken Walker: "The identification was made by a colleague at Melbourne University. It's a Crustacean nymph parasite of all things. Pentastomiasis (also known as Porocephalosis) is a disease caused by infection with pentastomids. Pentastomids or Rallietellids are endoparasites of the respiratory system of vertebrates, maturing primarily in carnivorous reptiles (eg. snakes). Adult and larval pentastomids can cause severe pathology resulting in the death of their intermediate and definitive hosts. These parasites have an indirect life cycle involving one of more intermediate host. A closely related parasite genus Raillietiella was found to use frogs as an intermediate host in frog eating snakes. Nymphs of Waddycephalus have been recorded in numerous taxa (e.g. dasyurids, elapids, geckos, skinks, frogs, and owls) but it is unclear whether these animals are viable intermediate hosts or accidental hosts in which the parasite will not develop further or will transfer to other hosts. Considering the diet of known definitive hosts of Waddycephalus, frogs and/or lizards are the most plausible intermediate host for these parasites. For more information, see: https://www.wildlifehealthaustralia.com.au/Portals/0/Documents/FactSheets/Reptiles/Pentastomiasis%20in%20Australian%20snakes%20Jul%202014%20(1.1).pdf"

In a high quality floodplain flatwoods with an understory dominated by spicebush

Nearly 4ft dbh

Based on habitat and size, I think this could be a naturally occurring plant. At the very least, it could easily be a pre-modern-settlement tree