Adult trematodes of the genera Conodiplostomum Dubois, 1937 and Neodiplostomum Railliet, 1919 (Trematoda: Diplostomidae) parasitize the intestines of birds of prey, owls and, rarely, passeriform birds. Although the family is taxonomically unsettled, molecular phylogenetics have not been applied to analyze Conodiplostomum and Neodiplostomum and the reference DNA sequences from adult Diplostomidae are scarce and limit studies of their indistinct larval forms. We analyze the Conodiplostomum and Neodiplostomum spp. found during the examination of Czech birds performed from 1962 to 2017, and we provide comparative measurements and host spectra, including prevalence and intensity; we also provide and analyze the sequences of four DNA loci from eight diplostomid species. Molecular phylogenetic analysis suggested that Conodiplostomum spathula (Creplin, 1829), the type species of this genus, is nested in Neodiplostomum. Thus, we suggest the rejection of Conodiplostomum spathula (Creplin, 1829) and the resurrection of Neodiplostomum spathula (Creplin, 1829) La Rue, 1926 and reclassification of all species of Conodiplostomum with the neodiplostomulum type of metacercariae to Neodiplostomum as well. Conodiplostomum canaliculatum (Nicoll, 1914) is reclassified as Neodiplostomum spathulaeforme (Brandes, 1888). The molecular analysis suggested that Conodiplostomum perlatum (Ciurea, 1911), the species with the neascus type of metacercariae, belongs to Crassiphialinae Sudarikov, 1960. We erect the genus Ciureatrema gen. nov. Heneberg & Sitko and reclassify Conodiplostomum perlatum (Ciurea, 1911) as Ciureatrema perlatum (Ciurea, 1911) and establish it as a type species of Ciureatrema gen. nov. Further research should focus on the evolution of the neascus and neodiplostomulum types of metacercariae, as well as the evolution of the genital cone and pseudosuckers in Diplostomidae.
- MeSH
- fylogeneze * MeSH
- infekce červy třídy Trematoda veterinární MeSH
- mitochondriální DNA genetika MeSH
- prevalence MeSH
- ptáci parazitologie MeSH
- Stringiformes parazitologie MeSH
- Trematoda anatomie a histologie klasifikace MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
Sedentary bird species are suitable model hosts for identifying potential vectors of avian blood parasites. We studied haemosporidian infections in the Tengmalm's Owl (Aegolius funereus) in the Ore Mountains of the Czech Republic using molecular detection methods. Sex of owl nestlings was scored using molecular sexing based on fragment analysis of PCR-amplified CHD1 introns. Observed infection prevalences in nestlings and adult owls were 51 and 86 %, respectively. Five parasite lineages were detected. Most of the infections comprised the Leucocytozoon AEFUN02 and STOCC06 lineages that probably refer to distinct Leucocytozoon species. Other lineages were detected only sporadically. Mixed infections were found in 49 % of samples. The main factor affecting the probability of infection was host age. No effect of individual sex on infection probability was evidenced. The youngest infected nestling was 12 days old. High parasite prevalence in the Tengmalm's Owl nestlings suggests that insect vectors must enter nest boxes to transmit parasites before fledging. Hence, we placed sticky insect traps into modified nest boxes, collected potential insect vectors, and examined them for the presence of haemosporidian parasites using molecular detection. We trapped 201 insects which were determined as biting midges from the Culicoides genus and two black fly species, Simulium (Nevermannia) vernum and Simulium (Eusimulium) angustipes. Six haemosporidian lineages were detected in the potential insect vectors, among which the Leucocytozoon lineage BT2 was common to the Tengmalm's Owl and the trapped insects. However, we have not detected the most frequently encountered Tengmalm's Owl Leucocytozoon lineages AEFUN02 and STOCC06 in insects.
- MeSH
- Ceratopogonidae parazitologie MeSH
- Haemosporida genetika izolace a purifikace MeSH
- hmyz - vektory parazitologie MeSH
- nemoci ptáků epidemiologie parazitologie přenos MeSH
- polymerázová řetězová reakce MeSH
- prevalence MeSH
- protozoální infekce zvířat epidemiologie parazitologie přenos MeSH
- sexuální faktory MeSH
- Simuliidae parazitologie MeSH
- Stringiformes parazitologie MeSH
- věkové faktory MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Česká republika MeSH
During 2012-2014 up to 286 birds of the orders Falconiformes (5 species), Accipitriformes (11 species), and Strigiformes (7 species) were examined for trematodes and this represents the first detailed study in Slovakia. A total of 12 trematode species belonging to the families Diplostomidae, Cyathocotylidae, Strigeidae, and Opisthorchiidae were identified. Rare infections were found in falcons where only two species (40 %) and three of 85 examined birds (3.5 %) were infected with a low range of two to four worms of generalists Strigea falconis or Plagiorchis elegans. Contrary to that, ten accipitriformes species (90.9 %) and 63 of 156 bird individuals (40.4 %) were infected with nine flukes: Conodiplostomum perlatum, Conodiplostomum spathula, Neodiplostomum attenuatum, Neodiplostomum spathoides, Parastrigea flexilis, Strigea falconis, Strigea vandenbrokae, Paracoenogonimus ovatus, and Metorchis bilis. S. falconis and N. attenuatum were the most frequent, occurring in parallel in eight and four bird species, in numbers up to 575 and 224. The intensity of infection with other fluke species was low ranging from one to 13 worms. Three owl (Strigiformes) representatives (42.9 %) were exclusive hosts for Neodiplostomum canaliculatum and Strigea strigis, and the proportion of positive and dissected individual birds was 10:45 (22.2 %). Both trematodes occurred in two or three owl species. In conclusion, apparent dissimilarity of trematode load of three unrelated lines of falcons, eagles, and owls was revealed. The present study extends our knowledge on the composition of the trematode fauna in Slovakia as all species except S. falconis and P. elegans that represent new host and species records in Slovakia.
- MeSH
- dravci parazitologie MeSH
- Falconiformes parazitologie MeSH
- hostitelská specificita MeSH
- infekce červy třídy Trematoda epidemiologie parazitologie veterinární MeSH
- játra parazitologie MeSH
- nemoci ptáků epidemiologie parazitologie MeSH
- parazitární nemoci střev epidemiologie parazitologie veterinární MeSH
- parazitární nemoci u zvířat epidemiologie parazitologie MeSH
- střeva parazitologie MeSH
- Stringiformes parazitologie MeSH
- Trematoda izolace a purifikace MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Slovenská republika epidemiologie MeSH
The mite family Ascouracaridae Gaud et Atyeo, 1976 contains large-sized mites (mostly > 1 mm) which live inside the quills of birds of several orders. To date, no representative of this family has been found associated with the order Strigiformes (owls). In this paper, a new species of this family, Cystoidosoma hermaphroditus sp. n., is described from the tropical screech owl, Megascops choliba (Vieillot) (Aves: Strigiformes) from Brazil. This species is unique in having an external spermaduct, a primary duct and a rudimentary bursa copulatrix present in males. This is the first astigmatan feather mite described from the order Strigiformes in this country. A key to adults of the genus Cystoidosoma Gaud et Atyeo, 1976 of the world is presented.
- MeSH
- Acari * klasifikace MeSH
- peří parazitologie MeSH
- Stringiformes parazitologie MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
