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Gastrointestinal helminths of Emperor Penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) from Antarctica

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Abstract

Although research on parasitic diseases in Antarctic birds is scarce and the information largely fragmented, an increasing number of studies are currently in progress in this area. The host/parasite relationship is very important for understanding the impact of parasitism on the seabirds’ feeding ecology, especially in those isolated regions where the host is extremely sensitive to new diseases. Penguins are a big favorite for these studies because of their importance as indicators of change in the Antarctic ecosystem. This study aims at adding information on gastrointestinal parasites of the Emperor Penguin Aptenodytes forsteri from Snow Hill colony. Based on a sample of 43 individuals found freshly dead (3 adults and 40 chicks) from predation or starvation, the gastrointestinal helminth community in Emperor penguins was composed of two species of cestodes (Parorchites zederi and Tetrabothrius sp.) and three species of nematodes (Stegophorus macronectes, Tetrameres sp. and Contracaecum osculatum). This is the first record of S. macronectes in the Emperor Penguin. The low parasite richness observed might be related to the stenophagic and pelagic diet of this host.

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Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge to the hospitality and logistic support of the Argentine Antarctic Base Marambio, and the Argentinean transports. We also appreciate the logistic support provided by the Instituto Antartico Argentino for their help in collecting the birds. We especially thank Dr. Lucas Garbin for his help in determined Anisakid nematodes and Pilar Martínez (Public Translator in English Language) for the English revision of the manuscript. Financial support for sampling was given by the Direccion Nacional del Antártico (DNA) PICTO0091 (FONCyT – DNA), PICTO2010 0111 (FONCyT – DNA). Fieldwork was conducted currying the permissions given by Direccion Nacional del Antártico. JD was partially supported by CONICET (PIP 0698) and UNLP (N758). JD is member of Working Group of Health Monitoring of Birds and Marine Mammals of the SCAR.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto Antártico Argentino (DNA), 25 de Mayo 1143, San Martín, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina

    Bruno Fusaro, Marcela Libertelli, Martín Ansaldo & Nestor Rubén Coria

  2. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores (CCT La Plata-CONICET-UNLP), 120 s/n e/61 y 62, 1900, La Plata, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina

    Bruno Fusaro & Julia Inés Diaz

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  1. Bruno Fusaro
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Correspondence to Julia Inés Diaz.

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The authors declare that no conflicts of interest exist. Procedures used in this study comply with the current laws for working in Antarctica. Permission to work in the study area and for penguin handling was granted by the Environmental Management and Tourism Program of the Dirección Nacional del Antártico (DNA), Argentina.

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Fusaro, B., Libertelli, M., Ansaldo, M. et al. Gastrointestinal helminths of Emperor Penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) from Antarctica. Polar Biol 41, 1353–1358 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-018-2289-2

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