The acuarioid and habronematoid nematodes (Acuarioidea, Habronematoidea) of the upper digestive tract of waders - A review of observations on their host and geographic distributions and transmission in marine environments

Abstract

Observations on the host and geographic distribution and transmission of acuarioid and habronematoid nematodes of New World waders (mainly Choradriidae and Scolopacidae) ore reviewed. Fourteen species of the genus Skrjabinoclava were found in the proventriculus (rarely the oesophagus) of 13 wader species. Seven species of Skrjabinoclava each occurred in a single host and three others were found only once or twice outside the main host. Only three species occurred commonly in several wader species, mainly smell Calidris spp. Host distribution is apparently dependent largely on foraging behaviour and the availability of marine crustacean intermediate hosts. Some waders, however, may be refractory to infection. Individual species of gizzard nematodes (11 species in Schistorophinae, Seuratinae and Habronematoidea) were not confined wholly or mainly to one host but occurred in different families of waders suggesting that they may use a range of marine crustacean intermediate hosts. Acuarioid nematodes in waders recently arrived in Iceland from Old World regions differed significantly from those found in the New World. This suggests that waders using different staging and wintering areas throughout the world may have more or less distinct species of acuarioid and habronematoid nematode parasites. This hypothesis can be tested by the comparative study of the nematodes in migrant waders in different flyways throughout the world and contrasting parasite faunas in related wader species living in separate parts of the world.