J. Helminthol. Soc. Wash. 65(1), 1998 pp. 117-118 Research Note Dispharynxiasis in a Least Flycatcher, Empidonax minimus (Passeriformes: Tyrannidae), and a Golden-breasted Starling, Cosmopsarus regius (Passeriformes: Sturnidae) DAVID P. BOLETTE University of Pittsburgh, Laboratory Animal Resources, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261 (e-mail: [email protected]) ABSTRACT: Dispharynx sp. collected from a least fly- There did not appear to be any associated patho- catcher (Empidonax minimus) is reported to occur for logical change resulting from this low infection. the first time in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, and All other organ structures appeared normal. represents a new host record. Additionally, a golden- A 1.5-mo-old African golden-breasted star- breasted starling (Cosmopsarus regius) is documented ling, Cosmopsarus regius Reichenow, 1879 harboring Dispharynx nasuta within the National Avi- ary in Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) and also (Passeriformes: Sturnidae), died at the National represents a new host record. A severe proventriculitis Aviary in Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) associated with this helminth caused the death of this on 31 May 1995. It was refrigerated, and a nec- host. ropsy was performed 5 hr postmortem. Tissues, KEY WORDS: Dispharynx nasuta, Nematoda, Acu- which included a markedly enlarged, distended ariidae, Empidonax minimus, Cosmopsarus regius, proventriculus, were formalin fixed and submit- new host, new locality. ted for pathological evaluation. Numerous specimens of D. nasuta were firm- The acuariid nematode Dispharynx nasuta ly attached deep within the mucosa of the pro- (Rudolphi, 1819) commonly parasitizes primar- ventriculus producing an acute, diffuse proven- ily galliform, columbiform, and passeriform triculitis. Nineteen specimens (9 male, 10 fe- birds in which it firmly attaches to the host pro- male) were collected for identification. The re- ventricular mucosa. Its distribution is cosmopol- maining specimens were left attached to the itan, it has been indicated as the causative agent proventricular mucosa and were embedded in of "grouse disease" (Allen, 1924), and it has paraffin for sectioning. Due to the lack of any been considered to have contributed to the death significant pathological changes in all other or- of various avian species (Allen, 1924; Cram, gan structures, the host's death was attributed to 1928; Goble and Kutz, 1945; Lindquist and Stra- the resulting debilitation and wasting associated fuss, 1980). with this infection. In August 1995, a wildlife rehabilitate!" sub- Voucher specimens to both hosts are depos- mitted for parasitic evaluation 1 least flycatcher, ited in the United States National Parasite Col- Empidonax minimus (Baird and Baird, 1843) lection, United States Department of Agriculture (Passeriformes: Tyrannidae), whose cause of (Beltsville, Maryland), USNPC Nos. 86901 and death was unknown. The specimen was collect- 86902. ed in Allegheny County (40.46°N, 079.98°W), The presence of a Dispharynx sp. in Empi- Pennsylvania, frozen pending necropsy, and sub- donax minimus, and D. nasuta in Cosmopsarus sequently deposited in the Carnegie Museum of regius, are new host records. Dispharynx spp. Natural History, Section of Birds, Pittsburgh, (primarily D. nasuta) have been recorded in nu- Pennsylvania, Collection No. A-6707. Two non- merous passeriform birds in the same geograph- gravid female Dispharynx sp. were found at- ical area as Pennsylvania (Allen, 1924; Allen tached to the proventricular mucosa on 3 June and Gross, 1926; Cram, 1932a, b; Venard, 1933; 1996. A specific species could not be deter- Goble and Cheatum, 1943; Webster, 1943; Stan- mined, due to the paucity of specimens and the ley and Rabalais, 1971), but, to the author's lack of adult males for morphological compari- knowledge, have never been reported to occur son. Both female specimens, however, are char- in this state. acteristic of D. nasuta (Nematoda: Acuariidae). Pathological change in the proventricular mu- 117 Copyright © 2011, The Helminthological Society of Washington 118 JOURNAL OF THE HELMINTHOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON, 65(1), JANUARY 1998 cosa associated with this parasite has been re- Literature Cited ported in galliformes and columbiformes (Allen, Allen, A. A. 1924. The grouse disease. American 1924; Cram, 1928; Goble and Kutz, 1945; Lind- Game Bulletin 13:12-14. quist and Strafuss, 1980; Vassilev and Jooste, , and A. O. Gross. 1926. Ruffed grouse in- vestigation, season of 1925-26. American Game 1991). The author is also not aware of docu- Bulletin 15:81-84, 86. mented deaths associated with D. nasuta in pas- Cram, E. B. 1928. Nematodes of pathological sig- serif orm birds. The only passeriform reported as nificance found in some economically important being adversely affected is the gray catbird, Du- birds in North America. United States Department of Agriculture Technical Bulletin 49:1-10. metella carolinensis, by Goble and Kutz (1945). 1932a. New host records for Dispharynx The golden-breasted starling, which was cap- spiralis. Journal of Parasitology 18:303. tive reared and recently fledged from wild . 1932b. Additional observations on bird hosts caught parents within the National Aviary in of Dispharynx spiralis. Journal of Parasitology 18: 310. Pittsburgh, obviously became infected from the Goble, F. C., and E. L. Cheatum. 1943. Dispharynx consumption of infected intermediate hosts spiralis in golden and ringnecked pheasants in within the bird's enclosure. However, since D. New York. Journal of Parasitology 29:230-231. nasuta infects other avian hosts with the same , and H. L. Kutz. 1945. The genus Disphar- ynx (Nematoda: Acuariidae) in galliform and pas- geographical distribution as the golden-breasted seriform birds. Journal of Parasitology 31:323- starling (Seurat, 1919; Vassilev and Jooste, 331. 1991), it is likely that C. regius can become nat- Lindquist, W. D., and A. C. Strafuss. 1980. (Dis- urally infected as well. pharynx nasuta) may cycle within avian zoo pop- ulations. Journal of Zoo Animal Medicine 11: 120-122. Acknowledgments Seurat, L. G. 1919. Dispharages (Nematodes) de 1'Afrique mineure. Novitates Zoologicae 26:179- Acknowledgment is due to Edwin C. Klein 189. (University of Pittsburgh, Laboratory Animal Stanley, J. G., and F. C. Rabalais. 1971. Helminth Resources, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) for patho- parasites of the red-winged blackbird, Agelaius logical assessment of infected tissues. Thanks phoeniceus, and common grackle, Quiscalus quis- cula, in northwestern Ohio. The Ohio Journal of are also due to Kenneth C. Parks (Carnegie Mu- Science 71:302-303. seum of Natural History, Section of Birds, Pitts- Vassilev, G. D., and R. Jooste. 1991. Pathology and burgh, Pennsylvania) for identification of the taxonomy of Synhimantus (Dispharynx) nasuta in- least flycatcher; the National Aviary in Pitts- festing bantams and guinea fowl in Zimbabwe. Bulletin of Animal Health and Production in Af- burgh (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) for providing rica 39:27-30. helminth parasites and infected tissues of the C. Venard, C. 1933. Helminths and coccidia from Ohio regius; and Lois Sakolsky (Flying Mammal bob-white. Journal of Parasitology 19:205-208. Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, Pittsburgh, Penn- Webster, J. D. 1943. Helminths from the robin, with the description of a new nematode, Porrocaecum sylvania) for providing the E. minimus speci- brevispiculum. Journal of Parasitology 29:161- men. 163. Copyright © 2011, The Helminthological Society of Washington.