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Helminths of the kelp gull, Larus dominicanus, from the northern Patagonian coast

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Abstract

The helminth community of Larus dominicanus (Charadriiformes) is reported from Península Valdés, on the Patagonian coast, Argentina. From March 2000 to April 2004, 29 kelp gulls were collected and dissected. All the birds were parasitized by at least 2 of 18 parasite species: 2 cestodes (1 Tetrabothriidae, 1 Dilepididae), 10 trematodes (2 Echinostomatidae, 3 Microphallidae, 2 Gymnophallidae, 1 Philophthalmidae, 1 Dicrocoeliidae, 1 Diplostomatidae), 4 nematodes (2 Acuariidae, 1 Capillaridae, 1 Anisakidae), and 2 acanthocephalans (Polymorphidae). The mean intensity was 3,204 parasites per host, and all helminths parasitized the gastrointestinal tract or associated glands. The helminth community of L. dominicanus on the Peninsula Valdés coast seems to be richer than those reported by previous authors in other localities in Argentina. This could be due to a greater diversity in prey items available. Nine species are recorded for the first time from the kelp gull and seven species are recorded for the first time from Argentina.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Miguel Angel Díaz and Ulyses Pardiñas for their help in the field, Lorena Zonta for her assistance in the laboratory, and Sonia Laurenti for her help in determining prey species. We specially thank Dr. J. Mike Kinsella for the English revision of the manuscript. Field work was conducted in a Protected Natural Area of Chubut Province with permits from the Secretaría de Turismo y Áreas Protegidas. Funding was provided by the Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica (PICT 309 and 01374), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) (PIP 5653 and to F Cremonte), and Universidad Nacional de La Plata (N 504, N 628). The authors are members of CONICET.

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  1. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores (CCT La Plata-CONICET-UNLP), Calle 2 No. 584, 1900, La Plata, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina

    Julia Inés Diaz & Graciela Teresa Navone

  2. Centro Nacional Patagónico (CONICET), Boulevard Brown 2915, U9120ACD, Puerto Madryn, Chubut Province, Argentina

    Florencia Cremonte

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  1. Julia Inés Diaz
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  2. Florencia Cremonte
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Correspondence to Julia Inés Diaz.

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Diaz, J.I., Cremonte, F. & Navone, G.T. Helminths of the kelp gull, Larus dominicanus, from the northern Patagonian coast. Parasitol Res 109, 1555–1562 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-011-2396-2

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