Blood parasites of some birds from the Lorraine region, France

A total of 1650 birds of 56 species representing 21 families (primarily Passeriformes), was examined for blood parasites in the Lorraine region of France. Only 120 (7.3%) birds were infected, with members of the Paridae, Sylviidae and Turdidae the most frequently parasitized. Haemoproteids were the most commonly encountered parasites followed by the leucocytozoids. Other avian hematozoon genera were uncommon. Prevalence of parasitism was closely similar each year over a three-year period. Immature birds were first noted to be infected with Leucocytozoon in mid-June, suggesting transmission in late May to early June. Haemoproteids were first noted in immature birds in early July, suggesting transmission in mid-June. A review of the literature indicates that the prevalence of parasitism by avian blood parasites has decreased in western Europe since the turn of the century and is currently much lower than the prevalence encountered in Scandinavia, central Russia and eastern North America.

Comparison of three collection-preservation methods for detection of intestinal parasites

A study was designed to compare the effectiveness and time efficiency of three collection-preservation methods individually and grouped to form systems. Employees and members of their families of an agricultural grower in Hillsborough County, Fla., provided all fecal specimens used in the study. The 160 individuals participating were members of 64 families and represented a cross section of all job activity levels including management. Specimens were collected in Merthiolate/iodine/Formalin, Formalin (10% neutral buffered solution), and polyvinyl alcohol fixative. Parasites were found in the specimens from 39 (24.4%) of the 160 individuals participating, which represented 29.7% of the 64 families. No single method was effective in recovering all of the parasites found. When the methods were grouped to form diagnostic systems, the Merthiolate/iodine/Formalin system appeared to be more effective for parasite recovery as well as more time efficient than the Formalin/polyvinyl alcohol fixation system.

Helminths and ectoparasites of the common snipe (Capella gallinago L.) from Southwest Texas and Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge, Colorado

Sixty common snipe, (Capella gallinago), collected from Hudspeth County, Texas and 13 collected from Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge, Colorado were examined for metazoan parasites. The parasites recovered were Cestoda: Amoebotaenia fuhrmanni, Haploparaxis brachyphallos, Haploparaxis crassirostris, Haploparaxis echinovatum, Haploparaxis sp., Hymenolepis calumnacantha, Hymenolepis sp. I, Hymenolepis sp. II; Trematoda: Cyclocoelum mutabile, Echinostoma revolutum, Tanaisia fedtschenkoi; Nematoda: Capillaria contorta, Cosmocephalus capellae, Tetrameres coloradensis; Acanthocephala: Arhythmorhynchus capellae; Mallophaga: Austromenopon duristosum and Rhynonirmus scolopacis. More species of parasites were recovered from fall migrants; (12), than from spring migrants, (10). The cestode Haploparaxis echinovatum was recorded from North America for the first time. The parasite fauna recorded in this study did show some concentration for dominance by Simpson's index (0.33). This parasite fauna was most similar to that reported by Schmidt from snipe collected in Northern Colorado (67%).

Identification of economically important parasites

The taxonomy of a parasite can be an important guide to its pathogenic characteristics. A wide range of anatomical, biochemical and behavioural tests is now being developed to define different strains and subspecies of the main tropical parasites.

[Suspecies criterion in ectoparasites (based on the example of bird lice)]

It has been proved on Mallophaga that the notion "hostal subspecies" can be applied at the level of intraspecies categories to constant parasites possessing, distinct specificity. The notion should be applied in those cases when there are but small differences between groups of parasites from different hosts (e. g. in sizes) and when hosts belong to different species of the same genus.

[Study of the parasitofauna of salmon fry of the genus Oncorhynchus in the Sea of Okhotsk]

Parasite fauna of the genus Oncorhynchus in sea was studied and characteristics is given of its peculiarities in the following species of the young: O. kisutch, O. nerka, O. keta, O. gorbusha and O. tschawytscha. Parasite fauna of O. nerka young from the Kurilskoje Lake before the migration and 2--3 months after its stay in sea is analysed.

[New species of ectoparasitic nematode of the genus Trichodorus from the coniferous forests of the Far East]

The diagnosis and figure are given of the new species of nematodes, Trichodorus yokooi sp. n., isolated from the risosphere of Abies nephrolepis and Picea ajanensis in the Maritime Territory. The new species is close to three japanese species described by Yokoo (1964, 1966) but differs from them in the spear size, the location of ventromedial papilles, excretory pore and suplementary organs, and in the structure of vagina and ovaries.