Abstract
The aim of this work is to contribute to the knowledge of gastrointestinal parasites of the Gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) from 25 de Mayo/King George Island (South Shetlands, Antarctica). Gastrointestinal tracts of 37 fresh dead individuals (21 chicks, 10 juveniles, and 6 adults) were collected from December 2006 to February 2012 and examined for macroparasites. Four adult parasite species were found: one Cestoda species (Parorchites zederi), two Nematoda species (Stegophorus macronectes and Tetrameres wetzeli), and one Acanthocephalan (Corynosoma shackletoni). Two species of immature acanthocephalans, Corynosoma hamanni and Corynosoma bullosum, were found in a single host. This is the first record of Tetrameres wetzeli in Gentoo penguins. The low parasite richness observed could be related to the stenophagic and pelagic diet of this host species which feeds almost exclusively on krill.
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Acknowledgments
We very much appreciate the hospitality and logistic support of the Argentinean Antarctic Base “Carlini.” We especially thank the Argentinean transports and the Spanish Polar Ship “Las Palmas” which provided us transport to the Antarctic Base. We also thank the logistic support provided by the Instituto Antártico Argentino and the Maritime Technology Unit (CSIC). We thank Dr. John Mike Kinsella for English revision and the critical reading of the manuscript. Financial support was given by the Dirección Nacional del Antártico, the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, and European Regional Development Fund (projects CGL2004-01348, POL2006-05175, and CGL2007-60369). Permission to work in the Antarctic study area and for penguin handling was given by Dirección Nacional del Antártico and the Spanish Polar Committee. JID is partially supported by PICT309 (ANPCyT) and N628 (UNLP). VV was supported by a PhD grant from the Spanish Council of Scientific Research (JAEPre08-01053). This is a contribution to the International Polar Year project 172 BirdHealth and to PINGUCLIM project.
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Diaz, J.I., Fusaro, B., Longarzo, L. et al. Gastrointestinal helminths of Gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua) from Stranger Point, 25 de Mayo/King George Island, Antarctica. Parasitol Res 112, 1877–1881 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-013-3341-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-013-3341-3