Identification of parasites in Puffinus puffinus (Birds, Procellariiformes) from Northeastern Brazil

Abstract

Studies on the parasitic fauna of migratory sea birds of the Puffinus genus are scarce. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify parasites of 16 specimens of Puffinus puffinus (Procellariiformes, Procellariidae) that died during the period of June 2011 to December 2011 at the Wildlife Screening Center (CETAS) of the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Natural Resources (IBAMA) in Cabedelo, Paraíba. During necropsy, biting lice and/or gastrointestinal helminths were collected in seven (43.7 %) birds. Lice were collected in five (31.2 %) birds, and the species identified were Halipeurus diversus, Trabeculus aviator, Austromenopon paululum), Saemundssonia sp. and Naubates sp. The prevalence of helminths was also 31.2 %. The nematodes species were Seuratia shipleyi and Contracaecum sp., and cestodes were Tetrabothrius sp. This is the first record in Brazil of Naubates sp., Seuratia shipleyi, Contracaecum sp., and Tetrabothrius sp. in Puffinus puffinus.

Parasitos de aves e mamíferos silvestres em cativeiro no estado de Pernambuco

“…As aves silvestres albergam uma grande diversidade de parasitos, sendo mais frequentes os nematódeos dos gêneros Capillaria (ordem Enoplida), Ascaridia e Contracaecum (ordem Ascaridida), Physaloptera, Synhimantus, Tetrameres e Procyrnea (ordem Spirurida), além dos protozoários do grupo dos Coccídios (gêneros Eimeria e Isospora) (Vicente et al 1995, Freitas et al 2002a, Silva et al 2009, Melo et al 2012e 2013 (Freitas et al 2002a. No CETAS-PE, os antiparasitá-rios são utilizados unicamente quando os animais manifestam sinais clínicos como apatia, diarreia e perda de peso, o que favorece a manutenção dos parasitos nos animais e no ambiente.…”

“…Os piolhos foram clarificados em uma bateria de fenol-xilol (Freitas et al 2002b, Melo et al 2012) e montados entre lâmina e lamínula com resina sintética permanente (Entellan®). Para identificação, foram utilizados a chave de Price et al (2003) e artigos científicos especializados.…”

CHEWING LICE (Phthiraptera) FROM CRESTED CARACARA (Caracara plancus, Falconidae) IN SOUTHERN BRAZIL

“…The ectoparasites were fixed in 70% alcohol, clarified with 10% potassium hydroxide and mounted between a slide and a cover slip with organic Canada balsam. The identification of lice was performed according to specific bibliography (CLAY, 1950;MELO et al, 2012;PRICE et al, 2003). The parameters analyzed (prevalence, mean intensity, and mean abundance) were calculated according to Bush et al (1997) This study demonstrated that a high prevalence rate of Phthiraptera was found in fourteen birds (100%) with 794 specimens of chewing lice (Table 1).…”

Molecular identification and histological aspects of Renicola sloanei (Digenea: Renicolidae) in Puffinus puffinus (Procellariiformes): a first record

“…Parasitic fauna studies can provide information about the distribution, feeding habits and population stocks of both intermediate and definitive hosts, however, data about the complex biology and ecology still insufficient in this context (MACKENZIE et al, 2008). In a first study in the Brazilian Northeast region including P. puffinus, various ectoparasites and endoparasites species were identified (MELO et al, 2012); however, renal digeneans were not described. Considering these aspects, the aim of this study was to identify the renicolid trematodes in P. puffinus using morphological and molecular assays and to evaluate the renal histological lesions.…”