What is the most common predator of the animal that is susceptible to the parasite Parelaphostrongylus tenuis and typically inhabit boreal forests and temperate broadleaf and mixed forests of the Northern Hemisphere in temperate to subarctic climates?
Parelaphostrongylus tenuis Parelaphostrongylus tenuis (also known as meningeal worm, brainworm, or moose illness) is a neurotropic nematode parasite common to white-tailed deer, "Odocoileus virginianus", which causes damage to the central nervous system. Moose ("Alces alces"), elk ("Cervus canadensis"), caribou ("Rangifer tarandus"), and mule deer ("Odocoileus hemionus") are also susceptible to the parasite but are aberrant hosts and are infected in neurological instead of meningeal tissue. The frequency of infection in these species increases dramatically when their ranges overlap high densities of white-tailed deer.
Taiga vole The taiga vole ("Microtus xanthognathus") is a large vole found in northwestern North America, including Alaska and northwestern Canada. The name "taiga vole" comes from its living in the boreal taiga zone. It is also sometimes called the yellow-cheeked vole or chestnut-cheeked vole because of the rusty-yellow color on its face around its vibrisae (whiskers); The taiga voles derive their name from these features xantho is Greek for yellow and gnathus is Greek for jaw. It is typically much larger than most other North American voles, especially those from the genus "Microtus".