Research Article

First record of species Markewitchella bonini (Megnin, 1899) Spassky et Spasskaja 1972 (Cestoda, Cyclophyllidea) in carrier-pigeon Columba livia f. domestica in Poland

Małgorzata Nowak, Katarzyna Królaczyk, Katarzyna Kavetska, Vadym V. Kornyushin, Bogumiła Pilarczyk

1. Acta Sci. Pol. Zootechnica, 10(4), 2011, 83‒90

Abstract. This paper presents the results of a parasitological section performed on three pigeons (two young males and one adult female), Columba livia f. domestica, brought from northern Germany (Kiel) to a private farm in Szczecin in autumn 2010.After two weeks of their stay in Poland the birds died. During the parasitological section of the intestine of one young male, Markewitchella bonini (Megnin 1899) Spassky et Spasskaja 1972, determined as a tapeworm from the family Davaineidae Braun, 1900, was found for the first time in Polish and German fauna. The tapeworms were prepared as solid preparations stained with acetocarmine. Characteristic for this cestode species is an intermediate host – terrestrial molluscs. First named Davainea bonini (Megnin, 1899), as a parasite of birds of the genus Columba, M. bonini has so far been recorded in Bulgaria, Moldova, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Russia, Iran and France, where its presence was observed in Columba palumbus, Palumbus torquatus, Gallus gallus f. dom. and in the genus Anas.

Keywords: Columba livia f. domestica, Cestoda, Davaineidae Braun, 1900, Markewitchella bonini (Megnin, 1899) Spassky et Spasskaja 1972, Poland