Helminth parasites of the digestive tract of the oystercatcher, Haematopus ostralegus, in the Wadden Sea, the Netherlands
Borgsteede, F.H.M.; van den Broek, E.; Swennen, C. (1988). Helminth parasites of the digestive tract of the oystercatcher, Haematopus ostralegus, in the Wadden Sea, the Netherlands. Neth. J. Sea Res. 22(2): 171-174
In: Netherlands Journal of Sea Research. Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ): Groningen; Den Burg. ISSN 0077-7579; e-ISSN 1873-1406, more
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Authors | | Top |
- Borgsteede, F.H.M.
- van den Broek, E.
- Swennen, C.
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Abstract |
The digestive tracts of 90 oystercatchers (equal numbers of males and females and of juveniles, subadults and adults) wintering in the Dutch Wadden Sea were examined for helminth parasites. The nematodes Capillaria sp. (36.7%) and Streptocara crassicauda (7.8%) were found in the stomach. Unidentified cestodes (76.7%) and the trematodes Psilostomum brevicol1e (42.2%), Notocotylus sp. (81.1%), and unidentified gymnophallids (100%) were found in the intestine and caeca. Two birds were infected with Gymnophallidae only, while all other birds contained additional helminth species. Compared with subadult and adult birds, the juveniles had significantly more infections with Capillaria sp. and cestodes. Moreover, the juveniles were infected with a greater variety of species. No further relation was found between the presence of helminths or worm numbers and age groups or sexes of birds. |
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