TREMATODES INFECTING DUCKS OF GENUS AYTHYA BOIE, 1822 (ANSERIFORMES: ANATIDAE) IN SINDH, PAKISTAN

Abstract

The present study covers a part of the trematode diversity in a variety of ducks migratory birds mainly including pochards found in the water bodies of Sindh, Pakistan. In the present study, the birds were collected from different water bodies using the mist nest with the help of local bird catchers. Birds were dissected for their helminthes. The treaded parasites were processed for permanent mounting in Canada balsam and for further microscopic examination. In total, 70 birds belonging to three species of pochards of Genus Aythya (Anatidae: Anseriformes), A. ferina, A. fuligula and A. nyroca were collected from different water bodies during 2019-2020. The results showed five species of digenean trematodes including Psilochasmus singhi Jaiswal and Humayun, 1971, Psilochasmus oxyurus (Creplin, 1825), Catatropis pakistanensis Shafi et al., 1982, Echinochasmus amphibolus Kotlan, 1922 and Notocotylus attenutus (Rudolphi, 1809). All species were identified on the basis of their generic and specific characters including, body shape and size, position of oral sucker, cirrus pouch, genital pore, cecca, number of uterine loops, shape position of testes and ovaries. This is the first parasitological study on trematodes infecting the genus Aythya from Sindh, Pakistan.