Helminths of the Black-Legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla Linnaeus, 1758) and the Brünnich’s Guillemot (Uria lomvia Linnaeus, 1758) in Russkaya Gavan Bay, Severny Island, Novaya Zemlya Archipelago

Abstract

This article provides results of a helminthological study of two seabird species, the Black-Legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla Linnaeus, 1758) and the Brunnich’s Guillemot (Uria lomvia Linnaeus, 1758), from Russkaya Gavan Bay, Severny Island, Novaya Zemlya Archipelago. A total of five species of helminth parasites were identified in kittiwakes and six species in guillemots. The cestode Tetrabothrius erostris and the nematode Stegophorus stellaepolaris proved to be common helminth parasites for both seabird species. Two species, T. erostris and the acanthocephalan Corynosoma strumosum, were found for the first time in seabirds from Novaya Zemlya. Brunnich’s guillemot was recorded as a new definitive host for C. strumosum in the Barents Sea region. The main characteristic feature of the helminth infestation in birds from northern Novaya Zemlya is the absence of trematodes, endemic and highly specific parasite species, as well as helminths with freshwater life cycles. The prevalence of helminth parasites in kittiwakes and guillemots from different parts of the Barents Sea is analyzed. It has been established that the nematode S. stellaepolaris exerts the most pronounced negative impact on the physiological condition of Brunnich’s guillemots.