Long-term study reveals central European aerial insectivores as an unusual group of hosts that harbor mostly helminths that are unable to complete life-cycles in the nesting quarters of their hosts ...

• Main Authors: Sitko, Jiljí, Heneberg, Petr
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: figshare 2023
• Subjects: Cell Biology; Evolutionary Biology; FOS Biological sciences; 59999 Environmental Sciences not elsewhere classified; FOS Earth and related environmental sciences; Ecology; Apus apus
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.6585428; https://springernature.figshare.com/collections/Long-term_study_reveals_central_European_aerial_insectivores_as_an_unusual_group_of_hosts_that_harbor_mostly_helminths_that_are_unable_to_complete_life-cycles_in_the_nesting_quarters_of_their_hosts/6585428

Abstract 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 ...