title: Helminth community structure of the Mediterranean gull (Ichthyaetus melanocephalus) in Southern Italy.
abstract: The helminth community of the Mediterranean gull (Ichthyaetus melanocephalus) from the Calabria region in southern Italy was examined. Ten species of helminths, including 2 cestodes (Alcataenia larina and Tetrabothrius cylindraceus), 4 digeneans ( Aporchis massiliensis , Brachylaima fuscatum, Cardiocephaloides longicollis, and Ornithobilharzia canaliculata), and 4 nematodes (Eucoleus contortus, Capillaria sp., Cosmocephalus obvelatus, and Paracuaria adunca), were found. The Mediterranean gull represents new host records for A. larina, A. massiliensis, B. fuscatum, and E. contortus; all species, except C. longicollis and O. canaliculata, constitute new locality records. The gastrointestinal helminth community of I. melanocephalus consisted of 9 species but, at the infracommunity level, species richness, diversity, and total helminth abundance are among the lowest reported from any gull species. Two cestode species accounted for 81% of all helminth specimens found.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Section of Parasitology, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro, 00185 Rome, Italy. marisant@libero.it
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Santoro
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mattiucci
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kinsella
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Aznar
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Giordano
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Castagna
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pellegrino
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nascetti
mesh_terms: D025041:Animal Migration; D000818:Animals; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D046091:Charadriiformes / Q000469:parasitology*; D005260:Female; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000469:parasitology; D006374:Helminthiasis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D006376:Helminths / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence