title: The occurrence of Centrorhynchus (Acanthocephala) in shrews (Sorex araneus and Sorex minutus) in the United Kingdom.
abstract: Encysted acanthocephalans belonging to the genus Centrorhynchus were found in the body cavities of Sorex araneus (common shrew) and Sorex minutus (pygmy shrew) from Boxworth, Cambridgeshire, U.K. Fifty percent of the male S. araneus and 67% of the male S. minutus examined were found to be infected, with the mean intensity (+/-SD) being 54.3 +/- 91.3 and 14.7 +/- 18.4, respectively. The species of Centrorhynchus in the shrews may be Centrorhynchus aluconis, which is distributed widely in tawny owls, Strix aluco, in the United Kingdom. Shrews appear to serve as paratenic hosts for C. aluconis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of Glasgow, Scotland, U.K.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Ewald
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Crompton
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Stoddart
mesh_terms: D000049:Acanthocephala / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006373:Helminthiasis / Q000453:epidemiology; D006374:Helminthiasis, Animal; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012788:Shrews / Q000469:parasitology*; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology