Al Shostak
Faculty Service Officer, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta
Director and Curator, University of Alberta Parasite Collection
Ecology of helminth parasites. Two areas of emphasis are the tolerance of free-living stages to environmental conditions, and the interactions between larval parasites and their hosts. Current interests are field studies in Alberta of trematodes in freshwater snails and Schistocephalus tapeworms in sticklebacks, and lab studies of Hymenolepis tapeworms in Tribolium beetles.
Shostak, A. W., John G. Walsh, and Yuen C. Wong. 2006. Shape variation of cysticercoids of Hymenolepis diminuta (Cyclophyllidea) from fed, partially fed and fasted Tribolium confusum (Coleoptera). Journal of Parasitology, in press.
Aalangdong, O. I., W. M. Samuel, and A. W. Shostak. 2001. Off-host survival and reproductive success of adult female winter ticks, Dermacentor albipictus in seven habitat types of Central Alberta. Journal of the Ghana Science Association 3(3): 109-116.
McPherson, M., A. W. Shostak, and W. M. Samuel. 2000. Climbing simulated vegetation to heights of ungulate hosts by larvae of Dermacentor albipictus (Acari: Ixodidae). Journal of Medical Entomology, 37:114-120.
Shostak, A. W., and K. A. Smyth. 1998. Activity of flour beetles (Tribolium confusum) in the presence of feces from rats infected with the rat tapeworm (Hymenolepis diminuta). Canadian Journal of Zoology 76: 1472-1479.
Bush, A. O., K. D. Lafferty, J. M. Lotz, and A. W. Shostak. 1997. Parasitology meets ecology on its own terms: Margolis et al. revisited. Journal of Parasitology, 83: 575-583.
Shostak, A. W., S. Dharampaul, and M. Belosevic. 1993. Effects of source of metacercariae on experimental infection of Zygocotyle lunata (Digenea: Paramphistomidae) in CD-1 mice. Journal of Parasitology, 79: 922-929.
Shostak, A. W., and M. E. Scott. 1993. Detection of density-dependent growth and fecundity of helminths in natural infections. Parasitology, 106: 527-539
Shostak, A. W. 1993. Survival of Petasiger nitidus (Digenea: Echinostomatidae) cercariae in relation to temperature, pH,and salinity. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 71: 431-434.
Shostak, A. W., and G. W. Esch. 1990. Photocycle-dependent emergence by cercariae of Halipegus occidualis from Helisoma anceps, with special reference to cercarial emergence patterns as adaptations for transmission. Journal of Parasitology, 76: 790-795.
Esch, G. W., A. W. Shostak, D. J. Marcogliese, and T. M. Goater. 1990. Patterns and processes in helminth parasite communities: an overview. pp. 1-19 in Esch, G. W., A. O. Bush, and J. M. Aho (eds.), Parasite Communities: Patterns and Processes. Chapman and Hall, New York.
Shostak, A. W., and G. W. Esch. 1990. Temperature effects on survival and excystment of cercariae of Halipegus occidualis (Trematoda). International Journal for Parasitology, 20: 95-99.
Shostak, A. W., and T. A. Dick. 1989. Variation in site occupation by intestinal helminths of naturally- infected pike (Esox lucius L.) relative to stomach contents of the host. Journal of Parasitology, 75: 905-910.
Goater, T. M., A. W. Shostak, J. A. Williams, and G. W. Esch. 1989. A mark-release-recapture study of trematode parasitism in overwintered Helisoma anceps (Pulmonata), with special reference to Halipegus occidualis (Hemiuridae). Journal of Parasitology, 75: 553-560.
Shostak, A. W., and T. A. Dick. 1987. Variability in timing of egg hatch of Triaenophorus crassus Forel (Cestoda: Pseudophyllidea) as a mechanism increasing temporal dispersion of coracidia. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 67: 1462-1470.
Shostak, A. W., and T. A. Dick. 1987. Individual variability in reproductive success of Triaenophorus crassus Forel (Cestoda: Pseudophyllidea), with comments on use of the Lorenz curve and Gini coefficient. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 65: 2878-2885.
Shostak, A. W., J. C. Tompkins, and T. A. Dick. 1987. The identification and morphological variation of Diplostomum baeri bucculentum from two gull species, using metacercarial infections from least cisco from the Northwest Territories. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 65: 2287-2291.
Shostak, A. W., T. A. Dick, A. J. Szalai, and L. M. J. Bernier. 1986. Morphological variability in Echinorhynchus gadi, E. leidyi, and E. salmonis (Acanthocephala: Echinorhynchidae) from fishes in northern Canadian waters. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 64: 985-995.
Shostak, A. W., and T. A. Dick. 1986. Effect of food intake by Cyclops bicuspidatus thomasi (Copepoda) on growth of procercoids of Triaenophorus crassus (Pseudophyllidea) and on host fecundity. American Midland Naturalist, 115: 225-233. (Erratum, 116: 224).
Shostak, A. W., and T. A. Dick. 1986. Intestinal pathology in northern pike, Esox lucius L., infected with Triaenophorus crassus Forel, 1868 (Cestoda: Pseudophyllidea). Journal of Fish Diseases, 9: 35-45.
Shostak, A. W., R. B. Rosen, and T. A. Dick. 1985. The use of growth curves to assess the crowding effect on procercoids of the tapeworm Triaenophorus crassus in the copepod host Cyclops bicuspidatus thomasi. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 63: 2343-2351.
Gray, J. B., W. M. Samuel, A. W. Shostak, and M. J. Pybus. 1985. Varestrongylus alpenae (Nematoda: Metastrongyloidea) in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) of Saskatchewan. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 63: 1449-1454.
Shostak, A. W., R. B. Rosen, and T. A. Dick. 1984. Orientation of procercoids of Triaenophorus crassus Forel in Cyclops bicuspidatus thomasi Forbes: effects on growth and development. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 62: 1373-1377.
Shostak, A. W., and W. M. Samuel. 1984. Moisture and temperature effects on survival and infectivity of first-stage larvae of Parelaphostrongylus odocoilei and P. tenuis (Nematoda: Metastrongyloidea). Journal of Parasitology, 70: 261-269.
Review of "Parasites, People, and Places", Bulletin of the Canadian Society of Zoologists 35(3):23-24, 2004.
Review of "The Ecology of Wildlife Diseases", Journal of Wildlife Diseases 39:470-471, 2003.
Review of "Parasitism, the Diversity and Ecology of Animal Parasites", Bulletin of the Canadian Society of Zoologists 33(3):33, 2002.
Review of "Practical Exercises in Parasitology", Bulletin of the Canadian Society of Zoologists 32(3):33, 2001.
Review of "Fearsome Fauna: A Field Guide to the Creatures that Live In You", Journal of Parasitology 86: 112, 2000.
Mailing address: Department of Biological Sciences, CW405 Biological Scienes Building
University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2E9
Office: CW-338 Biological Sciences Building
Fax address: (780) 492-9234
Phone: (780) 492-1293
