Species of the genus Morishitium Witenberg, 1928 are parasites of the body cavity, air sacs, and lungs of birds. At least 14 species are considered valid, but molecular confirmation of their status is lacking. Here, we provide the first molecular data on Morishitium dollfusi isolated from their type host Pica pica, compared them with previously reported molecular data from Morishitium polonicum isolated from their type and paratype hosts, Turdus merula and Turdus philomelos, and performed extensive measurements of 511 individuals of Morishitium spp. across a broad host spectrum, at multiple infection intensities, and year-round. We analyzed the molecular phylogenetics of Morishitium spp. adults isolated from bird hosts of Czech origin and provide comparative measurements of the analyzed specimens. Based on the molecular examination of morphologically identified specimens of M. dollfusi and M. polonicum (CO1, ND1, and ITS2 markers), we propose synonymization of Morishitium dollfusi (Timon-David, 1950) with Morishitium polonicum (Machalska, 1980) (isolates of European origin). The three markers were either identical (CO1, ITS2) or formed haplotypes shared by the two species (ND1). Morphological analyses revealed a continuum of key identification features for the two above-named species, although we used specimens matching the original descriptions and isolated them from the type hosts. Therefore, Morishitium polonicum is a junior synonym of Morishitium dollfusi. Attention is needed regarding the status of East Asian isolates identified previously as M. polonicum (or M. polonicum malayense). The molecular analysis revealed that these isolates form a distinct clade, and further research is needed to produce data allowing the likely separation of the malayense clade as a separate species.

• Klíčová slova
• Aves, Cyclocoeliidae, Digenea, Helicella, Lungs, Trematoda, Xerothermic snails,
• MeSH
• fylogeneze MeSH
• ještěři * MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• Passeriformes * MeSH
• pika MeSH
• Trematoda * MeSH
• zpěvní ptáci * MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Necropsy of two free-ranging common blackbirds (Turdus merula) found dead in central Italy revealed the presence of a high number of cyclocoelid flukes in the coelomatic cavity. Cyclocoelid flukes primarily infect avian respiratory system. Histologically, air sac walls were covered with a fibrinous exudate containing degenerate heterophils, many trematodes and some colonies of Gram-positive cocci. The superficial bronchi and parabronchi were markedly distended, and the adjacent pulmonary parenchyma was congested and collapsed. Trematodes, surrounded by a mild suppurative to pyogranulomatous inflammatory reaction, were also observed on the pericardial, intestinal, kidney and hepatic serosal surfaces. The death of the two examined birds was likely due to the high parasite load and associated severe lesions. At parasitological examination, flukes showed a tongue-shaped elongate body, tapered anteriorly and rounded posteriorly, of 2,088-2,314 μm in width and 8,268-11,830 μm in length. The mouth was slightly oval and sub-terminal, with a small oral sucker. The oval pharynx measured 250-309 μm, and the two caeca joined posteriorly. Two large (550-702 μm × 450-520 μm) globular testes were situated obliquely to each other, whereas an oval (250 × 300 μm in mean) or round (about 334 μm in diameter) intertesticular ovary was placed in a longitudinal straight line with the testes. The ootype was about 110 μm in diameter, while the brown-yellow eggs measured 131.5 × 73.9 μm in mean. The genital pore was post-pharyngeal, while the symmetrically arranged vitelline glands were not confluent posteriorly. Morphoflogical diagnosis led to the identification of Morishitium polonicum, a cyclocoelid fluke species that typically inhabits the air sacs of blackbirds. The morphological diagnosis was corroborated by molecular phylogenetic analysis of the mitochondrial (CO1, ND1) DNA loci. The present study provides the first report of pathological lesions and death caused by M. polonicum in birds.

• Klíčová slova
• Air sac trematodes, Cyclocoelidae, Death, Histopathological lesions, Morishitium polonicum, Turdus merula,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

BACKGROUND: The cutaneous monostome trematode Collyriclum faba (Bremser in Schmalz, 1831) is a bird parasite with a hitherto unknown life cycle and highly focal occurrence across the Holarctic and Neotropic ecozones. METHODS: Representative specimens of benthic organisms were sampled at multiple sites and dates within the known foci of C. faba occurrence in Slovakia. A combined approach involving detailed morphological examination and sequencing of two independent DNA loci was used for their analysis. RESULTS: We elucidated the complete life cycle of C. faba, which we determined to include the aquatic gastropod mollusk Bythinella austriaca (Frauenfeld, 1857) as the first intermediate host, the mayflies of the family Heptageniidae, Ecdyonurus venosus (Fabricius, 1775) and Rhithrogena picteti Sowa, 1971 x iridina (Kolenati, 1839), as the second intermediate hosts, and birds (primarily but not exclusively passeriform birds) as the definitive hosts. Bythinella austriaca occurs focally in the springs of tributaries of the Danube in the Alpine-Carpathian region. The restricted distribution of B. austriaca explains the highly focal distribution of C. faba noticed previously in spite of the broad distribution of its second intermediate and definitive host species. Utilization of both larval and adult Ephemeroptera spp. as the second intermediate hosts explains the known spectrum of the definitive host species, with the highest prevalence in species feeding on larvae of Ephemeroptera, such as Cinclus cinclus (Linnaeus, 1758) and Motacilla cinerea Tunstall, 1771, or adults of Ephemeroptera, such as Sylvia atricapilla (Linnaeus, 1758) and Regulus regulus (Linnaeus, 1758). In this study, we also determine the prevalence and DNA sequences of other immature trematode specimens found in the examined benthic organisms (particularly the families Microphallidae, Troglotrematidae and Nanophyetidae and Euryhelmis zelleri Grabda-Kazubska, 1980, Heterophyidae), and describe cercariae of C. faba. CONCLUSIONS: We determined the full life cycle of the Central European populations of C. faba. We speculate that other species of Bythinella and the closely related genus Amnicola may serve as first intermediate hosts in other parts of the distribution range of C. faba. Similarly, other Ephemeroptera of the family Heptageniidae may serve as the second intermediate hosts of C. faba in the Americas.

• MeSH
• Ephemeroptera parazitologie   MeSH
• hostitelská specificita * MeSH
• infekce červy třídy Trematoda parazitologie   veterinární   MeSH
• měkkýši parazitologie   MeSH
• nemoci ptáků parazitologie   MeSH
• ploštěnci genetika   růst a vývoj   fyziologie   MeSH
• ptáci parazitologie   MeSH
• stadia vývoje MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH