Metazoan parasites of lesser yellowlegs, Tringa flavipes (Charadriiformes) from southwestern United States and Alaska with a checklist of parasites reported from this host.
In total, 30 lesser yellowlegs, Tringa flavipes (Charadriiformes), 24 from southwestern United States and 6 from Alaska, were examined for metazoan parasites. Ten species of helminths (4 cestodes, 4 trematodes, and 2 nematodes), and 5 species of ectoparasites were collected. Cestodes were the most prevalent and abundant taxon. The dominant cestode was an undescribed species of Choanotaenia. The cestode Kowalewskiella totani was the only helminth recovered from Alaskan hosts, and it was also present in birds from the southwest. It appears to be a specialist in lesser yellowlegs. The mallophagans Quadraceps falcigerus and Actornithophilus totani and the nasal mite Colinoptes cubanensis were common to birds from both geographic regions. Characteristics of the helminth community from the southwest and ectoparasite communities of this region and Alaska were low mean species richness, low mean abundance, medium diversity, and uneven distribution of parasites.
Enz
John J
JJ
Natural Sciences Division, Alderson-Broaddus College, Philippi, West Virginia 26416, USA.
Canaris
A G
AG
D000413:Alaska / Q000453:epidemiology; D000818:Animals; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D046091:Charadriiformes / Q000469:parasitology*; D004478:Ectoparasitic Infestations / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D006374:Helminthiasis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D006376:Helminths / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008925:Mites / Q000145:classification; D008003:Phthiraptera / Q000145:classification; D015206:Southwestern United States / Q000453:epidemiology