Six helminth species (1 digenetic trematode, Conspicuum icteridorum; 2 cestodes, Choanotaenia sp., and 1 tentatively identified as Paricterotaenia sp.; 3 nematodes, Capillaria ovopunctatum, Chandlerella quiscali, Porrocaecum ensicaudatum) were found in 35 common grackles, Quiscalus quiscula, Linnaeus, 1758, examined from a fish hatchery near London, Ohio, U.S.A., in late May through July 2009 and 2010. Porrocaecum ensicaudatum had the highest prevalence (77%) followed by C. ovopunctatum (66%). Chandlerella quiscali had the highest mean intensity (8.0) followed by C. ovopunctatum (6.4), which also had the highest mean abundance (4.2). Gravid worms of all helminth species were found except for Choanotaenia sp. The mean helminth species richness for all examined birds was 2.5 ± 1.0. This survey herein is consistent with previous parasitological studies conducted on the helminths of common grackles. Although 74% of the examined common grackles had fish bones in their gizzards, helminths known to utilize fish as intermediate hosts at this hatchery were not found.
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Comparative Parasitology
Vol. 80 • No. 1
January 2013
Vol. 80 • No. 1
January 2013
Capillaria ovopunctatum
Chandlerella quiscali
Choanotaenia sp.
Common Grackle
Conspicuum icteridorum
fish hatchery
Ohio