Checklist of Platyhelminthes, Acanthocephala, Nematoda and Arthropoda parasitizing penguins of the world

Trophically-transmitted parasites are regularly exposed to potential new hosts through food web interactions. Successful colonization, or switching, to novel hosts, occur readily when ‘donor’ and ‘target’ hosts are phylogenetically related, whereas switching between distantly related hosts is rare and may result from stochastic factors (i.e. rare favourable mutations). This study investigates a host-switching event between a marine acanthocephalan specific to pinnipeds that is apparently able to reproduce in Magellanic penguins Spheniscus magellanicus from Brazil. Detailed analysis of morphological and morphometrical data from acanthocephalans from penguins indicates that they belong to Corynosoma australe Johnston, 1937. Partial fragments of the 28S rRNA and mitochondrial cox1 genes were amplified from isolates from penguins and two pinniped species (i.e. South American sea lion Otaria flavescens and South American fur seal Arctocephalus australis) to confirm this identification. Infection parameters clearly differ between penguins and the two pinniped species, which were significantly lower in S. magellanicus. The sex ratio of C. australe also differed between penguins and pinnipeds; in S. magellanicus was strongly biased against males, while in pinnipeds it was close to 1:1. Females of C. australe from O. flavescens were smaller than those from S. magellanicus and A. australis. However, fecundity (i.e. the proportion of fully developed eggs) was lower and more variable in females collected from S. magellanicus. At first glance, the occurrence of reproductive individuals of C. australe in Magellanic penguins could be interpreted as an adaptive colonization of a novel avian host through favourable mutations. However, it could also be considered, perhaps more likely, as an example of ecological fitting through the use of a plesimorphic (host) resource, since the ancestors of Corynosoma infected aquatic birds.

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“…shackletoni Zdzitowiecki, 1978 from P . papua (see [ 80 ]). An unidentified species of Corynosoma was reported from S .…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

From mammals back to birds: Host-switch of the acanthocephalan Corynosoma australe from pinnipeds to the Magellanic penguin Spheniscus magellanicus

et al. 2017

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“…(Mawson 1953;Fredes et al 2008;Barbosa & Palacios 2009;Brandao et al 2014). However, it could be assumed that many of these species might represent occasional and/or accidental findings because almost all of them consisted of a few immature parasite specimens (Cielecka et al 1992).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gastrointestinal helminths of Adélie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae) from Antarctica

et al. 2016

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“…Many parasitic Stegophorus macronectes were observed in the regurgitated koilins in this study. This nematode was the only gastrointestinal parasite species found in the gizzard of chinstrap penguins in prior studies (Barbosa & Palacios 2009;Vidal et al 2012;Brandao et al 2014).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Regurgitation of the koilin layer in chinstrap penguins (Pygoscelis antarcticus) and its association with gastric parasites

et al. 2016

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The koilin membrane, formed by the secretions of the ventricular and pyloric glands, functions as a protective layer in the gizzards of most bird species. However, the ecological functions of koilin have never been studied in freeranging penguins. During the two austral summers from 2012 to 2014, we observed the regurgitated koilins of chinstrap penguins (Pygoscelis antarcticus) at Narę bski Point on King George Island, South Shetland Islands, and we detected a significant difference in the daily accumulation of regurgitated koilins between the pre-hatching and post-hatching periods in the rookery. We also found 233 gastrointestinal parasites, all Stegophorus macronectes (Nematoda, Acuariidae), from 26 out of 45 koilins freshly regurgitated by chinstrap penguins. We suggest that the regurgitation of koilins may benefit adult chinstrap penguins in the wild by reducing parasitic loads when they fast during incubation; it may also help decrease the risk of parasite transmission to chicks. Our results present the first observations of regurgitated koilins among breeding chinstrap penguins. How koilin regurgitation functions in penguins requires further study. Among the gentoo penguins (P. papua) co-occurring at the study site, we observed no regurgitated koilin layers.

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Checklist of Platyhelminthes, Acanthocephala, Nematoda and Arthropoda parasitizing penguins of the world

Cited by 22 publications

References 61 publications

From mammals back to birds: Host-switch of the acanthocephalan Corynosoma australe from pinnipeds to the Magellanic penguin Spheniscus magellanicus

From mammals back to birds: Host-switch of the acanthocephalan Corynosoma australe from pinnipeds to the Magellanic penguin Spheniscus magellanicus

Gastrointestinal helminths of Adélie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae) from Antarctica

Regurgitation of the koilin layer in chinstrap penguins (Pygoscelis antarcticus) and its association with gastric parasites

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