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.

• Keywords
• Aves, Cyclocoeliidae, Digenea, Helicella, Lungs, Trematoda, Xerothermic snails,
• MeSH
• Phylogeny MeSH
• Lizards * MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Passeriformes * MeSH
• Pica MeSH
• Trematoda * MeSH
• Songbirds * MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

BACKGROUND: Central European aerial insectivores are long-distance migrants that winter in sub-Saharan Africa. Most of them employ the fly-and-forage migrating strategy and differ in their food composition. The composition and structure of helminth component communities of these hosts are poorly understood, and information regarding seasonality and long-term changes is unavailable. METHODS: From 1963 to 2022, we analyzed the population trends of helminths in five aerial insectivore species. Namely, we examined Apus apus, Hirundo rustica, Delichon urbicum, Riparia riparia, and Ficedula albicollis; all originated from the Czech Republic. RESULTS: We identified central European aerial insectivores as hosts that are parasitized mostly by helminths that cannot complete their life-cycles in the nesting quarters of their hosts. This phenomenon is unknown in other bird host species. In contrast, only a single dominant trematode species that completes its life-cycle locally colonized the central European aerial insectivores. All other dominant species of Trematoda, all Nematoda, and all Acanthocephala were dependent on intermediate hosts unavailable in the nesting quarters of the examined bird hosts. Surprisingly, these helminths transmitted from winter quarters or migratory routes were diverse, and many of them were abundant in terms of both prevalence and intensity of infection. The helminth component communities of aerial insectivores were dynamic systems. During the study period, three species became new and regularly encountered members of helminth fauna of examined hosts, and other species gradually increased or decreased their intensity of infection. In contrast to other groups of bird hosts, the dominant helminth species of aerial insectivores did not experience local extinctions or rapid population losses. CONCLUSIONS: The analysis of helminths of five central European aerial insectivores revealed component communities that heavily rely on completing host-parasite cycles at migration routes or wintering grounds. The composition of the analyzed component communities changed dynamically during the 60-year-long study period, but there was no evidence of large-scale declines in abundance or prevalence.

• Keywords
• Aerial insectivores, Diptera, Helminths, Migration, Population dynamics, Trematoda, Urban birds,
• MeSH
• Acanthocephala * MeSH
• Helminths * MeSH
• Helminthiasis, Animal * epidemiology   parasitology   MeSH
• Birds parasitology   MeSH
• Life Cycle Stages MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czech Republic epidemiology   MeSH