Species of Contracaecum Parasitizing the Magellanic Penguin Spheniscus Magellanicus (Spheniscidae) from the Argentinean Coast

NAVONE, GRACIELA T.; GARBIN, LUCAS E.; DIAZ, JULIA I.

JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY

AMER SOC PARASITOLOGISTS

Lugar: Washington, Estados Unidos; Año: 2019 vol. 105 p. 222 - 231

0022-3395

Anisakid nematodes have a worldwide distribution and are associated with fishes, birds, and marinemammals from freshwater, brackish, and marine systems. The aims of this work are to report for thefirst time Contracaecum mirounga parasitizing the Magellanic penguin Spheniscus magellanicus, toreport another Contracaecum species in the same host species, and to discuss the validity ofContracaeceum spheniscus. Several dead chicks, juveniles, and adults of S. magellanicus werecollected along the Argentinean coast from 2002 to 2009. Nematodes were removed from digestivetracts and studied using both light and scanning electron microscopy. Nematode prevalences were2.38% for C. mirounga and 12.5% for Contracaecum sp. Contracaecum mirounga was found in 1penguin from Penı´nsula Valde´ s, Chubut. This species is known as a specific parasite of marinemammals such as Pinnipedia, thereby suggesting that this nematode is not as specific as believed.Another species of Contracaecum sp. was found parasitizing 1 penguin from the Rı´o de la Platacoast. It possessed an unusual interlabial morphology and arrangement of male caudal papillae.Despite the low prevalence, the distinct morphological features are convincing and support thepresence of a new Contracaecum species. However, a formal description is not presented becausesufficient male specimens are lacking. Finally, C. spheniscus is considered a junior synonym ofContracaecum pelagicum. Future molecular studies might be helpful to determine the real diversity ofContracaecum species parasitizing S. magellanicus considering the number of sibling speciesrecognized among the anisakids.