Abstract

MERCADO-REYES, Marisa et al. Presence of helminths in the mexican duck (Anas platyrhynchos diazi) of the zacatecano plateau, Mexico. Agrociencia [online]. 2010, vol.44, n.8, pp.931-939. ISSN 2521-9766.

Waterfowl, such as the Mexican duck (Anas platyrhynchos diazi), are carriers of parasites that can affect the populations of different species distributed in the Zacatecano plateau, México. The objectives of the present study were to identify the species of helminths of the Mexican duck population of the Zacatecano plateau, and to compare the composition of helminths according to the sex of the ducks. Twenty four Mexican ducks (14 males and 10 females) were randomly collected in the following bodies of water: La Zacatecana dam, El Maguey pond, Matanuzka pond and the UMA pond system Los Jales of the Zacatecano Plateau. Necropsy was made in each collected duck to obtain and identify their parasites and to determine the level of parasitosis. Eight parasites belonging to four classes were identified: Trematode (3), Nematode (2), Acanthocephala (2) and Cestode (1), and corresponding to eight families: Polyntorphidae (1), Hyntenolepididae (1), Psilostomidae (1), Paranfistomidae (1), Echinostomatidae (1), Trychostrongylidae (1), Trichuridae (1) and Echinorhynquidae (1). The parasite with highest prevalence was Zygocotyle lunata (66.67%), and the species with lowest prevalence were Echiostomum revolutum, Capillaria sp. and Polymorphus ondatrae (4.17% for each one). The prevalence of helminths between the sexes of Anatidae was similar (p>0.05). However, the parasitic intensity per class of helminth between sexes indicated a significant difference (p≤0.05) for trematodes, acanthocephala and cestodes. The results of the present study agree with those reported by various authors for different species of ducks.

Keywords : acanthocephala; waterfowl; Cestode; Nematode; parasites; Trematode.