title: Parasitic helminths of the American avocet Recurvirostra americana: four new species of the families Hymenolepididae and Acoleidae (Cestoda: Cyclophyllidae).
abstract: Records are presented of 11 species of parasitic helminths recovered from 37 American avocets. Birds were collected in Kansas and Colorado from April 1973 to August 1974. Parsites found included 3 trematodes, 2 nematodes, 1 acanthocephalan and 5 cestodes, 4 of which are new species. Hymenolepis cervotestis sp.n. (Hymenolepididae) is described from the small intestine of 7 avocets. It exhibits extreme protandry with the testes appearing before external segmentation is evident. Sobolevicanthus coloradensis sp.n. (Hymenolepididae) is described from the small intestine of 4 avocets. This species is found to have its scolex embedded in the intesttinal mucosa of its host. Diorchis recurvirostrae sp.n. (Hymenolepididae) is described from specimens recovered from the small intestine of 5 avocets. Diplophallus coili sp.n. (Acoleidae) is described from the small intestine of all 37 avocets. The family Diploposthidae is suppressed and the family Acoleidae is emended to include the 4 genera previously placed in Diploposthidae. A key to the genera of Acoleidae is presented.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds / Q000469:parasitology*; D002589:Cestoda / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification*; D005260:Female; D006926:Hymenolepis / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification; D008297:Male