Abstract
ABSTRACT Gastrointestinal parasitism is the main health problem faced by Spheniscus magellanicus, known as Magellanic penguins, in route on the Brazilian coast. The aim of this research was to report the occurrence and intensity of gastrointestinal parasites in S. magellanicus that reached Pontal do Sul, Paraná, South of Brazil. The study was performed at the Marine Study Center of the Federal University of Parana (CEM-UFPR) with 38 specimens, 31 were necropsied and seven were examined alive with coproparasitological exams. From the necropsied animals, 93.5% (29/31) were parasitized with at least one parasite species. Contracaecum pelagicum was the most prevalent 93,5% (29/31) parasite, followed by Cardiocephaloides physalis (64.5%) and Tetrabothrius lutzi (51.6%). Only one animal was free of parasites and the most infected bird had 1.076 parasites with an average of 194 worms. Willis-Mollay method revealed that 57.1% (4/7) had C. pelagicum eggs. In conclusion, the high rate of gastrointestinal parasites in S. magellanicus confirms the clinical exams, when animals had poor health conditions when they were found in the cost of Paraná. This study provides data to enrich the literature regarding the helminth fauna of the Magellanic penguins, assisting sanitary control programs in Rehabilitation Centers for Marine Animals.
Highlights
Among the 18 penguins species recorded, Spheniscus magellanicus Foster, 1781 (Sphenisciformes: Sphenisidae), known as the Magellanic penguin, is the most commonly found in temperate areas
The study was performed at the Marine Study Center of the Federal University of Parana, CEM/UFPR with 38 S. magellanicus found from August 2014 to July 2015 in the coastal area of Pontal do Sul (25°40’S; 48°30’O), Parana, Brazil
The carcasses were stored at -20oC, and after necropsy, the organs from the gastrointestinal tract were removed, individually identified, and sent to the Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, UFPR (25°25’S, 49°16’O) for parasite morphological identification according to Diaz et al (2010)
Summary
Among the 18 penguins species recorded, Spheniscus magellanicus Foster, 1781 (Sphenisciformes: Sphenisidae), known as the Magellanic penguin, is the most commonly found in temperate areas This species has an estimated population of 1.3 million breeding pairs (Silva-Barreto et al, 2015) mainly in the Falkland Islands and in the Argentinian Patagonia. The life cycle of Magellanic penguin is defined, since near three months age the young penguins are separated from their parents and start the marine life, pursuing their food supply. In this period, they perform the winter migration (May to July) returning to their home colonies in Chile, Argentina and the Falkland Islands in August to September (Hippólito et al, 2012)
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