Most available literature indicates that the most dominant nematode in Anatinae is a cosmopolitan species Amidostomum acutum (Lundahl, 1848). However, studies on wild duck helminthofauna in northwestern Poland suggest that these birds are attacked by not one but three different parasite species, previously described as a single species. Hence the aim of this study was the redescription of the species complex Amidostomum acutum, conducted on a representative sample of parasites and their hosts. The study material consisted of 6,430 nematode individuals, isolated from the digestive tracts of 1,005 wild ducks, representing 17 species. Unsupervised classification was performed using a Kohonen artificial neural network. The analysis confirmed the division of nematodes into three groups corresponding to three species, both for males and females. Taking into account the qualitative characteristics of the parasites, one can 100% accurately identify these species. The three groups of parasites were also significantly different in their ecology, manifested in their distinct host specificity.
SummaryAlthough nematofauna of wild ducks in north-western Poland seems to be quite well known, researchers still discover species that are new for the fauna of this region and Europe in general. One of them is Streptocara formosensis Sugimoto, 1930 with distinct ecological specificity (the nematode parasites only ducks wintering in the southern Baltic Sea) and topospecificity (limited to the gizzard). During parasitological research on 1005 wild ducks representing 17 species, 13,333 nematodes were isolated, 360 of which (2.7 %) were identified as Streptocara formosensis Sugimoto, 1930. The distinguishing feature of this species from other nematodes of the genus Streptocara (Railliet, Henry and Sisoff, 1912) is the absence of a collar and a specific arrangement of deirids at the nerve ring. During the study, the nematodes were located only under the stratum corneum of the gizzard, lying down in the form of characteristic white "springs." This is the first observation of this parasite in the nematofauna of Polish wild birds. The nematode was found in 84 (8.35 %) wild ducks representing 7 species: Aythya Marila (Aythyini), Bucephala clangula, Clangula hyemalis, Melanitta nigra, M. fusca, Mergus merganser, Mergellus albellus (Mergini). The highest prevalence (36.7 %) occurred in mergansers; the coefficient of dominance showed that S. formosensis is a subdominant species in B. clangula, C. hyemalis and M. merganser, and a rare species in other hosts. The presence of the parasite in only three out of 157 examined A. marila suggests that the greater scaup is only an accidental host for the nematode.
The aim of this study was to describe the morphology and means of identification of helminths in native partridges (65) and introduced pheasants (32) in Poland and to determine the level of intestinal infection of these birds by helminths using parasitological and ecological indices. The birds were acquired during the hunting season in the years 2015–2017. Nematodes, Capillaria phasianina, cestodes, Railietina friedbergeri, and one trematode, Brachylaima sp. were recorded for the first time in partridges in Poland. Our findings indicate that parasites are more prevalent in pheasants (prevalence 70.4%) than in partridges (prevalence 50.0%). The component community and infracommunity of parasites of partridges are more diverse (Simpson’s diversity index: 0.63 and mean Brillouin diversity index: 0.10 ± 0.17) and less dominated by a single parasite species (Capillaria sp., Berger-Parker dominance index: 0.53) than the pheasant parasite community (Simpson’s diversity index: 0.07, mean Brillouin diversity index: 0.005 ± 0.02, dominant species Heterakis gallinarum, Berger-Parker dominance index: 0.96). There were statistically significant differences between partridges and pheasants in the Brillouin diversity index and in the prevalence of Heterakis gallinarum (55.6% in pheasants vs. 19.0 in partridges). There were significant differences between wild and farmed partridges in the prevalence of infection by Capillaria sp. (4.3% vs. 37.5%) and H. gallinarum (39.1 vs. 6.2%). In conclusion, the pheasant was shown to be a reservoir, carrier, and shedder of nematodes, which may increase the risk of infection in partridges.
82 SummaryReports on the presence of Echinuria hypognatha Wehr, 1937 in Europe have so far provided only general information, and therefore we present further morphometric and ecological characteristics of this parasite. In this study, the examined nematodes were isolated from the digestive tract of 1 005 wild ducks, representing 17 species from the northwestern Poland. The anatomical features of the parasite were in principle consistent with the description of the species by its discoverer and reports in the available literature. Nematodes (505 individuals) were found in 2.5 % of the examined ducks, in five species wintering in Poland: Clangula hyemalis, Melanitta nigra, M. fusca, Mergellus albellus and Aythya fuligula. The exclusive locations of the nematode were the glands in the proventriculus. The highest incidence was recorded in Melanitta ducks, and the presence of this nematode only in birds wintering in Poland indicates that E. hypognatha is brought to Poland by birds migrating from the areas of Eastern Siberia.
The research problem undertaken in this study is to determine the scale of infection of Eurasian blue tit Cyanistes caeruleus and Great tit Parus major and the biological diversity of their internal parasites, helminths. The aim of the study is to gain new knowledge about the structure of the helminth communities of the Eurasian blue tit and Great tit on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea during autumn migration to their wintering grounds. Helminths of tits were collected in 2008–2012 on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea in Poland. PAST v. 2.11 software was used for the calculations. Barcoding DNA was used to identify trematodes initially classified based on morphological characters to the genera Leucochloridium and Urogonimus. Cestodes Anonchotaenia globata were recorded for the first time in Poland. The Eurasian blue tit is a new host in Poland for three species of helminths: cestode Monosertum parinum and filarial nematodes, Cardiofilaria pavlovskyi, and Diplotriaena henryi. The Great tit is a new host in Poland for trematode Urogonimus macrostomus, cestode A. globata and M. parinum, and filarial nematode Diplotriaena obtusa. The nematode C. pavlovskyi was the species most frequently recorded in both host species. A high degree of similarity was found between the component communities and infracommunities of helminths in Eurasian blue tit and Great tit. The new information provided in this study has increased our knowledge of the transmission of helminths in Central Europe.
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