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Helminth community structure and pattern were examined in the Merriam’s kangaroo rat Dipodomys merriami from burned and unburned plots in the northern Chihuahuan Desert of New Mexico. From 53 adult kangaroo rats, 7 helminth species were found, of which 2 species commonly occurred (Mastophorus dipodomis, 72%; Pterygodermatites dipodomis, 68%). The remaining species occurred infrequently (less than or equal to 13% prevalence). Prevalence and rank abundance values of M. dipodomis and P. dipodomis were similar between burned and unburned plots and host sex, respectively. Kangaroo rats avenged 1.8 +/- 0.1 species and 10.5 +/- 3.9 individuals. Both Jaccard’s index and the percentage similarity index indicated that component communities were dissimilar between burned and unburned plots. However, these differences resulted from the occurrence of rare species. Our results suggest that the helminth component community is depauperate and is dominated by 2 heteroxenic species that occupy different microhabitats within the host.