Digenean communities in the tufted duck [ Aythya fuligula (L., 1758)] and greater scaup [ A. marila (L., 1761)] wintering in the north-west of Poland

• Published in: Journal of Helminthology
• Main Authors: Rząd, I., Sitko, J., Kavetska, K., Kalisińska, E., Panicz, R.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 2012
• Subjects: Animal Science and Zoology; General Medicine; Parasitology; Aythya marila; greater scaup
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022149x12000284; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022149X12000284

Abstract A total of 124 specimens of the tufted duck, Aythya fuligula , and 63 greater scaup, A. marila , were examined for digenean parasites. Both duck species, which overwinter in a coastal lake connected with the southern Baltic (north-west Poland) were found to support Amblosoma exile , Cyathocotyle prussica, Paracoenogonimus ovatus , Australapatemon minor , Cotylurus cornutus , Echinoparyphium recurvatum , Echinostoma revolutum and Notocotylus attenuatus . In addition, the tufted duck hosted Hypoderaeum conoideum , Bilharziella polonica , Neoeucotyle zakharovi , Renicola mediovitellata , Psilochasmus oxyurus , Psilostomum brevicolle and Cryptocotyle concava Echinostoma nordiana occurred in the greater scaup only. The two duck species differed significantly in the intensity and abundance of their digenean infection. Aythya marila harboured higher intensity levels and a wider assemblage of digeneans than A. fuligula , and this was likely to be due to differences in the pre-wintering exposure of the duck species to infective stages of these freshwater digeneans. Digenean communities in both duck species, strongly dominated by E. recurvatum , were relatively similar in their structure. No significant sex-dependent differences in digenean infections were revealed, except for the infection with N. attenuatus in A. fuligula . Similarly, there were no significant age-dependent differences (adult versus immature birds) in digenean infections, except for that with N. attenuatus in A. fuligula. The structural similarity between digenean communities in the two duck species is most likely an effect of overlapping diets based on freshwater molluscs, components of the digenean transmission pathway to definitive hosts.