title: Gastrointestinal helminths of Gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua) from Stranger Point, 25 de Mayo/King George Island, Antarctica.
abstract: The aim of this work is to contribute to the knowledge of gastrointestinal parasites of the Gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) from 25 de Mayo/King George Island (South Shetlands, Antarctica). Gastrointestinal tracts of 37 fresh dead individuals (21 chicks, 10 juveniles, and 6 adults) were collected from December 2006 to February 2012 and examined for macroparasites. Four adult parasite species were found: one Cestoda species (Parorchites zederi), two Nematoda species (Stegophorus macronectes and Tetrameres wetzeli), and one Acanthocephalan (Corynosoma shackletoni). Two species of immature acanthocephalans, Corynosoma hamanni and Corynosoma bullosum, were found in a single host. This is the first record of Tetrameres wetzeli in Gentoo penguins. The low parasite richness observed could be related to the stenophagic and pelagic diet of this host species which feeds almost exclusively on krill.
authors: Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores (CCT La Plata-CONICET-UNLP), Calle 2 No. 584, 1900, La Plata, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. jidiaz@cepave.edu.ar
authors: Julia Inés
authors: JI
authors: Diaz
authors: Bruno
authors: B
authors: Fusaro
authors: Lucrecia
authors: L
authors: Longarzo
authors: Néstor Rubén
authors: NR
authors: Coria
authors: Virginia
authors: V
authors: Vidal
authors: Silvia
authors: S
authors: Jerez
authors: Juana
authors: J
authors: Ortiz
authors: Andrés
authors: A
authors: Barbosa
mesh_terms: D000049:Acanthocephala / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000469:parasitology; D000864:Antarctic Regions; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*; D002589:Cestoda / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000648:ultrastructure; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000469:parasitology*; D006374:Helminthiasis, Animal / Q000469:parasitology*; D006376:Helminths / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary; D062312:Islands; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009348:Nematoda / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013045:Species Specificity; D046429:Spheniscidae / Q000469:parasitology*