Bird cestodes from Huinay (Comau Fjord), Chilean Patagonia: several species of the family Dilepididae (Platyhelminthes, Cyclophyllidea), with the erection of two new genera

Birds in the Huinay area, Los Lagos region, Chile, were studied for parasites. Here we report 2 new genera and species of the family Dilepididae (Cyclophyllidea) found in common local passerines: Janinellia peebeehi gen. n., sp. n. was found in Elaenia albiceps (Tyrannidae) and Huinaylepis elegans gen. n., sp. n. was found in Aphrastura spinicauda (Furnariidae). Other dilepidid parasites are reported for the first time from Xolmis pyrope (Tyrannidae) and from 2 species of Rhinocryptidae. Cotylorhipis sureshi Jadhav & Shinde, 1981 is considered a species inquirenda. The very high diversity and endemism of the observed cestode fauna in the Valdivian temperate rain forests is noted

The rediscovery of the putative ant social parasite Manica parasitica syn. nov. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) reveals an unexpected endoparasite syndrome

Parasitism is ubiquitous across the tree of life, and parasites comprise approximately half of all animal species. Social insect colonies attract many pathogens, endo- and ectoparasites, and are exploited by social parasites, which usurp the social environment of their hosts for survival and reproduction. Exploitation by parasites and pathogens versus social parasites may cause similar behavioural and morphological modifications of the host. Ants possess two overlapping syndromes: the endo- and social parasite syndromes. We rediscovered two populations of the putative social parasite Manica parasitica in the Sierra Nevada, and tested the hypothesis that M. parasitica is an independently evolving social parasite. We evaluated traits used to discriminate M. parasitica from its host Manica bradleyi, and examined the morphology of M. parasitica in the context of ant parasitic syndromes. We find that M. parasitica is not a social parasite. Instead, M. parasitica represents cestode-infected M. bradleyi. We propose that M. parasitica should be regarded as a junior synonym of M. bradleyi. Our results emphasize that an integrative approach is essential for unravelling the complex life histories of social insects and their symbionts

The role of parasites in the invasion success of the exotic brine shrimp Artemia Franciscana in the Meditarranean region

Trabajo presentado en el Symposium for European Freshwater Science, celebardo en Girona del 27 de junio al 1 de julio de 2011.Biological invasions are main threats to biodiversity at global scale and increasing numbers of studies suggest that parasites may have a role. However, the mechanism through which parasites may influence the outcome of the invasion is poorly understood. Here we provide evidence supporting the role of parasites as potential agents mediating the competitive exclusion of Mediterranean brine shrimps Artemia (A. parthenogenetica and A. salina) by the exotic American A. franciscana, using different native and invasive populations from South Spain and South France. Our results revealed high rates of infection by cestodes in native brine shrimps, sometimes with extreme prevalences of up to 100%. In contrast, A. franciscana populations showed very low diversity, prevalence and burden of cestodes. The effect of parasites in native populations was multiple, ranging from reproduction and survival, to life history traits, microhabitat selection and diet. Infection strongly reduced host fitness by both, reducing fecundity (parasite castration) and indirectly increasing predation by birds final hosts as revealed by prey choice experiments. We found evidence that high rate of parasitism (particularly the castrating parasite Flamingolepis liguloides, the most prevalent cestode in natives but nearly absent in the exotic Artemia), indirectly affected the life-history strategy of non infected individuals, inducing for example earlier maturation. Moreover cestodes influenced spatial (vertical and horizontal) distribution of the host, altering the diet as revealed by isotopic analysis. Contrasting with the strong impact of parasites in native populations, we have never observed any pathology (castration, behavioural alteration, etc) associated with infection in the exotic species. Overall, the results of this study suggest that the large impact of cestode on the native, but not the invading species, is likely to confer a decisive competitive advantage to the invader, contributing to explain the demographic success of A. franciscana in the Mediterranean region.Peer reviewe

New species of \u3ci\u3eCinclotaenia\u3c/i\u3e Macy, 1973 (Cyclophyllidea: Dilepididae) from \u3ci\u3eCinclus leucocephalus\u3c/i\u3e Tschudi (Passeriformes: Cinclidae) in Bolivia

Two new species of Cinclotaenia (Cyclophyllidea: Dilepididae) are described from the small intestine of Cinclus leucocephalus (Aves: Passeriformes: Cinclidae) collected in the Yungas region of Bolivia. Cinclotaenia minuta n. sp. is characterized by possessing a minute strobila with a maximum body length of 1.58 mm, consisting of 5–10 proglottids, 19–22 rostellar hooks with lengths from 16 to 17 mm, 12–17 testes per proglottid, and eggs forming packets without filaments. Cinclotaenia boliviensis n. sp. has bandlike strobila with a length up to 26 mm with 67–74 proglittids, 22 rostellar hooks with length 39–42 mm, 43–68 testes, and eggs forming packets possessing long filaments. The systematic position in Cinclotaenia of cestodes lacking filaments on the egg packets is confirmed. This is the first record of species of Cinclotaenia in dippers from Bolivia and also the first report of cestodes from Cinclus sp. in the Neotropical Region

FIGURE 2 A – F. Notopentorchis micropus Singh, 1952 in Redescriptions of four Palaeotropical species of the cestode genus Notopentorchis Burt, 1938 (Cyclophyllidea: Paruterinidae)

FIGURE 2 A – F. Notopentorchis micropus Singh, 1952 from Apus affinis (J. E. Gray), Gabon. A. Scolex. B. Anterior rostellar hooks. C. Posterior rostellar hooks. D. Mature proglottis, dorsal view. E. Genital ducts in mature proglottis, dorsal view. F. Eggs. Scale-bars: A, D, E, 100 µm; B, C, F, 50 µm

\u3ci\u3eBurhinotaenia colombiana\u3c/i\u3e n. sp. (Cestoda, Cyclophyllidea) from the Double-Striped Stone Curlew \u3ci\u3eBurhinus bistriatus\u3c/i\u3e (Aves, Charadriiformes) in Colombia

Burhinotaenia colombiana n. sp. (Dilepididae) is described from the small intestine of the double-striped stone curlew Burhinus bistriatus (Burhinidae) captured at Carimagua, Colombia. The new species is distinguished from the most similar Burhinotaenia delachauxi (Baer, 1925), a parasite of the Old World Burhinus spp., by the longer cirrus-sac (375-590, average 514 μm vs. 322-393, average 354 μm) and longer rostellar hooks (412-451, average 440 μm vs. 358-367, average 364 μm). The validity of the genus Burhinotaenia Spasskii and Spasskaya, 1965 and its generic diagnosis as proposed by Bona (1994) are confirmed. This is the first record of a species of Burhinotaenia in the New World

Cestode parasites (Neodermata, Platyhelminthes) from Malaysian birds, with description of five new species

We studied the cestode fauna (Platyhelminthes) of forest birds in Malaysia (Selangor) collected during a field trip in 2010. Ninety birds of 37 species were examined and global prevalence of cestodes was 15.3%. Five new taxa are described: Emberizotaenia aeschlii sp. nov. (Dilepididae) from Tricholestes criniger (Blyth, 1845) (Pycnonotidae); Anonchotaenia kornyushini sp. nov. (Paruterinidae) from Trichastoma malaccense (Hartlaub, 1844) (Pellorneidae); Biuterina jensenae sp. nov. (Paruterinidae) from Chloropsis cochinchinensis (Gmelin, 1789) (Irenidae); Raillietina hymenolepidoides sp. nov. (Davaineidae) and R. mahnerti sp. nov. (Davaineidae) from Chalcophaps indica (Linnaeus, 1758) (Columbidae). Ophryocotyloides dasi Tandan & Singh, 1964 is reported from Psilopogon henricii (Temminck, 1831) (Ramphastidae). Several other taxa in Dilepididae, Davaineidae, Paruterinidae, Hymenolepididae and Mesocestoididae, either potentially new or poorly known, are also reported. The richness described from this small collection hints at the potentially huge unknown parasite diversity from wild hosts in this part of the world

Cestode parasites (Neodermata, Platyhelminthes) from Malaysian birds, with description of five new species

We studied the cestode fauna (Platyhelminthes) of forest birds in Malaysia (Selangor) collected during a field trip in 2010. Ninety birds of 37 species were examined and global prevalence of cestodes was 15.3%. Five new taxa are described: Emberizotaenia aeschlii sp. nov. (Dilepididae) from Tricholestes criniger (Blyth, 1845) (Pycnonotidae); Anonchotaenia kornyushini sp. nov. (Paruterinidae) from Trichastoma malaccense (Hartlaub, 1844) (Pellorneidae); Biuterina jensenae sp. nov. (Paruterinidae) from Chloropsis cochinchinensis (Gmelin, 1789) (Irenidae); Raillietina hymenolepidoides sp. nov. (Davaineidae) and R. mahnerti sp. nov. (Davaineidae) from Chalcophaps indica (Linnaeus, 1758) (Columbidae). Ophryocotyloides dasi Tandan & Singh, 1964 is reported from Psilopogon henricii (Temminck, 1831) (Ramphastidae). Several other taxa in Dilepididae, Davaineidae, Paruterinidae, Hymenolepididae and Mesocestoididae, either potentially new or poorly known, are also reported. The richness described from this small collection hints at the potentially huge unknown parasite diversity from wild hosts in this part of the world

Morphology of <i>Streptocara crassicauda</i> and <i>S. recta</i>, with a Review of the Genus <i>Streptocara</i> (Nematoda: Acuariidae) and an Identification Key to Its Species

The cosmopolitan genus Streptocara Railliet, Henry and Sisoff, 1912 (Nematoda: Acuariidae) comprises parasites of the upper alimentary tract of aquatic and, rarely, terrestrial birds. Two species of the genus Streptocara are redescribed from Bulgaria by means of light and scanning electron microscopy: Streptocara crassicauda (Creplin, 1829), based on specimens from Larus genei, Larus minutus (Laridae) and Aythya ferina (Anatidae), and Streptocara recta (von Linstow, 1879) from Podiceps nigricollis (Podicipedidae). This is the first record of S. recta from Bulgaria. The host and distribution records of the species of the genus Streptocara are reviewed. Six species are recognised as valid. Streptocara crassicauda (Creplin, 1829), S. californica (Gedoelst, 1919), S. formosensis Sugimoto, 1930 and S. incognita Gibson, 1968, seem to be parasites well-adapted to birds of the family Anatidae (Anseriformes) and occasionally found in other birds, whereas S. recta (von Linstow, 1879) and S. longispiculata Gibson, 1968, are specialists of Podicipediformes and Gaviiformes, respectively. Streptocara indica Fotedar and Chishti, 1974, is recognised as a junior synonym of S. crassicauda, and Schistogendra oligopapillata Zhang and An, 2002, is considered as a junior synonym of Streptocara formosensis Sugimoto, 1930. An identification key to the species of the genus Streptocara is proposed