Helminths of the black-headed gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) from breeding colonies in north-central Poland.

Among parasites of the digestive tract of the black-headed gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) in Poland, the best known are species of digenetic trematodes and cestodes. Nematodes of this bird species are not well known. Black-headed gulls, due to their varied diet, migration, life in a flock, and changes of habitat, can become infected with various species of helminths, and like synanthropic birds, they can spread the dispersal stages of parasites across urban and recreational areas.

Duck body condition affects the number of parasites in the gastrointestinal tract, as evaluated with the Akaike information criterion.

The aim of the study was to determine the relationship between the body condition, and the number of parasites in the gastrointestinal tract of the tufted duck (Aythya fuligula), using the Akaike information criterion. Absolute and relative measurements of 197 ducks were taken. Liver mass was positively associated with the number of parasites in the duodenum (β = 0.

Lactation milk yield prediction in primiparous cows on a farm using the seasonal auto-regressive integrated moving average model, nonlinear autoregressive exogenous artificial neural networks and Wood's model.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of three approaches (the seasonal auto-regressive integrated moving average [SARIMA] model, the nonlinear autoregressive exogenous [NARX] artificial neural networks and Wood's model) to the prediction of milk yield during lactation.

Methods: The dataset comprised monthly test-day records from 965 Polish Holstein-Friesian Black-and-White primiparous cows. The milk yields from cows in their first lactation (from 5 to 305 days in milk) were used.

Redescription of (Rudolphi, 1819) Lomakin, 1991 (Nematoda: ), a Parasite of (Gruiformes).

Introduction: (Rudolphi, 1819) Lomakin, 1991, is a species of which the systematic position is still unclear, and it is reported in the literature under many synonyms. In the present study, an attempt has been made at establishing the ultimate systematic position of against the backdrop of selected species.

Material And Methods: The parasites were identified based on measurements of external and internal structures.

Morphological and ecological characteristic of Dicranotaenia stenosacculata Macko, 1988 (Cestoda, Hymenolepididae) recorded in Poland.

During the parasitological examination of 288 wild ducks from north-western Poland, 18 tapeworms were found in the intestines (jejunum, ileum and rectum) of six birds, which, based on the structure of the scolex, internal organs and the presence of cirrus with an internal additional sac, were determinated as Dicranotaenia stenosacculata Macko, 1988. Tapeworms were found in two young females Bucephala clangula, one young female Aythya marila as well as two adult males Aythya fuligula. The aim of the study was to present the morphological and ecological characteristics of the species, recently discovered for the first time in the fauna of Poland.

Taxonomic structure of cestodofauna of two species of diving ducks Aythya fuligula and A. marila (Anseriformes: Aythyini) in north-western Poland.

Diving ducks Aythyini Delacour et Mayr, 1945 are an interesting object of the parasitological studies because due to living in two environments (aquatic and terrestrial) and migrating over long distances, they can come into contact with many potential hosts for parasites. In the recent years, a decrease in the population of diving ducks has been observed, especially of the tufted duck and the scaup. Both of them remain the most common species found in the region of West Pomerania, so the presented research is limited to the parasitological studies of these two species of ducks.

Tetrameres globosa (Linstow, 1879) (Nematoda, Tetrameridae) – a nematode of the Eurasian coot Fulica atra (Linnaeus, 1758) recorded for the first time in Poland.

During parasitological studies of 23 Eurasian coot Fulica atra (Linnaeus, 1758), 91 nematodes were isolated. Three of them, found in the proventriculus, were identified as Tetrameres globosa (Linstow, 1879). This paper presents the morphological characteristics of the discovered males of T.

The use of selected statistical methods and Kohonen networks in the revision and redescription of parasites.

Revisions and redescriptions of species and higher taxa have been known in parasitology since the first description of a parasite. Usually, they are based on standard morphometric methods or more modern genetic analysis. The former are not always sufficiently reliable, while the latter often require expensive equipment, pre-defined genetic markers, and appropriately prepared research material.

Fluoride concentrations in the pineal gland, brain and bone of goosander (Mergus merganser) and its prey in Odra River estuary in Poland.

The aim of the study was to investigate fluoride concentrations in bone, brain and pineal gland of goosander Mergus merganser wintering in the Odra estuary (Poland) as well as in fish originating from its digestive tract. The fluoride concentrations were determined with potentiometric method. Medians of concentrations in goosander had the highest and the lowest values in pineal gland and brain (>760 and <190 mg/kg, respectively).

Cloacotaenia megalops (Nitzsch in Creplin, 1829) (Cestoda, Hymenolepididae) in wild ducks in Western Pomerania, Poland.

Cloacotaenia megalops (Nitzsch in Creplin, 1892) is a polyxenic and cosmopolitan tapeworm from the family Hymenolepididae. Its generic name derives from their typical location (cloaca), and the typical final hosts which are birds typically associated with water and marsh environments: Anseriformes, Galliformes and Gruiformes. In Poland, the presence of C.

Morphological features of Cloacotaenia megalops (Nitzsch in Creplin, 1829) (Cestoda, Hymenolepididae) from different hosts.

The tapeworm species Cloacotaenia megalops (Nitzsch in Creplin, 1829) is characterized by a very specific morphology. A particularly distinct feature is a large almost square scolex in which four fleshy suction cups are embedded and a rudimentary rostellum. During standard studies of wild duck cestode fauna in northwestern Poland, some morphological differences were observed among specimens, mainly in the shape of scolices and hermaphroditic proglottids of C.

Revision of the species complex Amidostomum acutum (Lundahl, 1848) (Nematoda: Amidostomatidae).

Most available literature indicates that the most dominant nematode in Anatinae is a cosmopolitan species Amidostomum acutum (Lundahl, 1848). However, studies on wild duck helminthofauna in northwestern Poland suggest that these birds are attacked by not one but three different parasite species, previously described as a single species. Hence the aim of this study was the redescription of the species complex Amidostomum acutum, conducted on a representative sample of parasites and their hosts.

[First record of species Dicranotaenia synsacculata Macko, 1988 (Cestoda, Hymenolepididae) of the goldeneye Bucephala clangula (Linneus, 1758) in Poland].

During parasitological studies of 32 specimens of the goldeneye Bucephala clangula L., twenty seven cestode specimens were found. Four of them, isolated from the jejunum of two young female hosts, were determinated as Dicranotaenia synsacculata Macko, 1988.

[First record of Microsomacanthus tuvensis Spasskaya et Spasskii, 1961 (Cestoda, Hymenolepididae) in Poland].

During standard parasitological studies of the tufted duck Aythya fuligula, obtained from fishermen from West Pomerania in December 2007, three cestode specimens were found in the jejunum of one male host. They were determinated as Microsomacanthus tuvensis (Spasskaya et Spasskii, 1961) on the basis of the cirrus's and cirrus sac's size and vagina's shape. This is the first record of this species in Poland.

[Intestinal digeneans of Gavia stellata (Pontoppidan, 1763) and Gavia arctica (Linnaeus, 1758) from West Pomerania, Poland].

In 2000 and 2006 a total of 20 divers including 15 Gavia stellata and 5 Gavia artica from Pomeranian Bay and Szczecin Lagoon were examined. G. stellata were found to be infected with 3 digenean species: Stephanoprora pseudoechinata (Olsson, 1876), Cryptocotyle concava (Creplin, 1825) and Diplostomum gavium (Guberlet, 1922).

[Digenea of Haliaeetus albicilla (Linnaeus, 1758) and Pandion haliaetus (Linnaeus, 1758) from middle and north-western Poland].

In 2003-2008 eight white-tailed eagles and two ospreys from middle and north-western Poland were examined for the presence of parasites. Nine birds were infected with 5 digenean species: Conodiplostomum perlatum, Paracoenogonimus ovatus, Strigeafalconis, Metorchis crassiusculus and Nematostrigea serpens. M.

[Aythya fuligula--new host for Retinometra pittalugai Lopez-Neyra, 1932 (Cestoda, Hymenolepididae) recorded in Poland for the first time].

During standard parasitological studies of the tufted duck Aythya fuligula (Linnaeus, 1758), obtained from fishermen from West Pomerania, three cestode specimens were found in the jejunum of hosts. They were determined as Retinometra pittalugai (Lopez-Neyra, 1932) on the basis of the cirrus's size, shape of stylet and rostellar hooks. This is the first record of this species in Poland, since this parasite was earlier recorded only in Anas platyrhynchos f.

[First record of species Microsomacanthus oidemiae Spassky et Jurpalova, 1964 (Cestoda: Hymenolepididae) in wild ducks of north-western Poland].

The presently reported study on cestodofauna of wild Anatinae of north-western Poland showed the presence of at least a dozen or so cestodes, hitherto unrecorded in Polish fauna. One of them is Microsomacanthus oidemiae Spassky et Jurpalova, 1964 (Hymenolepididae). This parasite (two not fully developed individuals, including one without a scolex) was found in the common scoter, Melanitta nigra L.

[Helminthofauna of the goosander Mergus merganser L., 1758 from the north-western Poland].

The goosander, Mergus merganser, is a rare in Poland water bird (Anseriformes: Mergini). It eats fish and small invertebrates. The purpose of this study was a preliminary parasitological examination of the digestive tract of the goosander wintering on the Szczecin Lagoon.