A COMPARISON OF THE HELMINTH FAUNAS OF WILD AND FARM-REARED RED-LEGGED PARTRIDGE

Abstract More than 4 million farm-reared red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa; hereafter partridge) are released each year in autumn for harvest purposes in Spain. We compared the helminth fauna of 122 juvenile, farm-reared partridge from 9 farms around Spain with that of 174 wild partridge from 7 harvest areas where no releases currently are conducted. We examined the digestive tract, liver, and trachea. Fourteen helminth species were retrieved (6 from farm-reared partridge, 9 from wild partridge). No trematode or nematode species were shared by both groups of partridge, and only 1 cestode species was present in both populations. Monoxenous nematodes were the most prevalent species found in farm-reared birds. Ascaridia compar, a parasite of the rock partridge (A. graeca) previously unreported in the red-legged partridge, was found in 4 facilities. Heteroxenous helminths, such as Dicrocoelium sp., Raillietina tetragona, and Cheilospirura gruveli, predominated in wild partridge. The prevalence and intensity of helminths in some farmed partridge were higher than expected considering the routine use of antihelminthics in these facilities. Thus, released partridge may introduce new parasites into wild populations, come into contact with parasites of wild partridge, and be negatively affected by their parasite burdens after release. These risks require further study.

[1]  R. Villafuerte,et al.  Post-breeding densities of the Red-legged Partridge (Alectoris rufa) in agrosystems: A large-scale study in Aragón, Northeastern Spain , 2002, Zeitschrift für Jagdwissenschaft.

[2]  R. Villafuerte,et al.  Success of traditional restocking of red-legged partridge for hunting purposes in areas of low density of northeast Spain aragón , 2000, Zeitschrift für Jagdwissenschaft.

[3]  J. Lucientes,et al.  CORRELATES OF HELMINTH COMMUNITY IN THE RED-LEGGED PARTRIDGE (ALECTORIS RUFA L.) IN SPAIN , 2003, The Journal of parasitology.

[4]  C. Gortázar,et al.  Do helminths increase the vulnerability of released pheasants to fox predation? , 2002, Journal of helminthology.

[5]  N. Aebischer,et al.  The effect of an experimental infection of the nematode Heterakis gallinarum on hand-reared grey partridges Perdix perdix , 2002, Parasitology.

[6]  P. Hudson,et al.  Parasite-mediated competition among red-legged partridges and other lowland gamebirds , 2002 .

[7]  A. Dobson,et al.  The role of pathogens in biological conservation , 2002 .

[8]  M. Begon,et al.  Parasites and host population dynamics. , 2002 .

[9]  R. Villafuerte,et al.  Marked differences in the splanchnometry of farm-bred and wild red-legged partridges (Alectoris rufa L.). , 2001, Poultry science.

[10]  D. Gavier-Widén,et al.  Brachyspira spp. (Serpulina spp.) in birds: a review and results from a study of Swedish game birds , 2001, Animal Health Research Reviews.

[11]  J. Godoy,et al.  RAPD analysis for detection and eradication of hybrid partridges (Alectoris rufa × A. graeca) in Spain , 2001 .

[12]  M. Sanmartín,et al.  Effects of restocking rabbits on the helminth fauna of wild rabbit populations in the Northwest Iberian Peninsula , 2001 .

[13]  J. Carroll,et al.  Spring survey of the parasite Heterakis gallinarum in wild-living pheasants in Britain , 2000, Veterinary Record.

[14]  Lajos Rózsa,et al.  QUANTIFYING PARASITES IN SAMPLES OF HOSTS , 2000, The Journal of parasitology.

[15]  P. Hudson,et al.  Field evidence for apparent competition mediated via the shared parasites of two gamebird species. , 2000 .

[16]  D. Erbeck,et al.  Chlamydiosis in pen-raised bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus) and chukar partridge (Alectoris chukar) with high mortality. , 1999, Avian diseases.

[17]  F. Frandsen,et al.  Prevalence of gastrointestinal helminths in different poultry production systems. , 1999, British poultry science.

[18]  P. Hudson,et al.  Competition mediated by parasites: biological and theoretical progress. , 1998, Trends in ecology & evolution.

[19]  B. Grenfell,et al.  Host densities as determinants of abundance in parasite communities , 1998, Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences.

[20]  I. Newton,et al.  Population Limitation in Birds , 1998 .

[21]  K. Lafferty,et al.  Parasitology meets ecology on its own terms: Margolis et al. revisited. , 1997, The Journal of parasitology.

[22]  H. Gebhardt.  Ecological and economic consequences of introductions of exotic wildlife (birds and mammals) in Germany , 1996, Wildlife Biology.

[23]  Martin J. Folk,et al.  HELMINTH AND ARTHROPOD PARASITES OF EXPERIMENTALLY INTRODUCED WHOOPING CRANES IN FLORIDA , 1996, Journal of wildlife diseases.

[24]  R. Hissa,et al.  Effects of hand-rearing on physiology and anatomy in the grey partridge , 1995, Wildlife Biology.

[25]  R. Bray,et al.  Keys to the cestode parasites of vertebrates. , 1994 .

[26]  Gary A. Wobeser,et al.  Investigation and Management of Disease in Wild Animals , 1994, Springer US.

[27]  J. Cooper.  HISTORICAL SURVEY OF DISEASE IN BIRDS , 1993 .

[28]  R. C. Anderson.  Nematode parasites of vertebrates: their development and transmission. 2nd edition. Introduction. , 1993 .

[29]  V. Mantón.  Book reviewDiseases of gamebirds and wildfowl: J. V. Beer Fordingbridge, Hants: The Game Conservancy. 1988. 113 pp. £6.50 (hard)+£1.00 p & p , 1989 .

[30]  P. Illescas-Gomez,et al.  A propósito de un nuevo hallazgo de Raillietina (Paroniella) bolivari López-Neyra, 1929 (Davaineidae) en la perdiz roja (Alectoris rufa L.) en España , 1987 .

[31]  M. L. Goff,et al.  THE EPIZOOTIOLOGY AND ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF MALARIA IN HAWAIIAN LAND BIRDS , 1986 .

[32]  V. Shakhmatova,et al.  Ascaridata of animals and man and diseases caused by them , 1986 .

[33]  E. Kutzer.  [The problem of parasites in game animals in Austria]. , 1980, Angewandte Parasitologie.

[34]  D. Seaton.  Cestodes and Trematodes , 1979 .

[35]  R. May,et al.  Regulation and Stability of Host-Parasite Population Interactions: I. Regulatory Processes , 1978 .

[36]  L. Borgarenko.  Nematodes and acanthocephalans of Rallidae in Tadzhikistan. , 1970 .

[37]  K. I. Skri︠a︡bin,et al.  Key to parasitic nematodes , 1961 .

[38]  C. R. López-Neyra.  Helmintos de los vertebrados ibéricos , 1947 .

[39]  E. B. Cram,et al.  Observations on Trichostrongylus tenuis Infestation in Domestic and Game Birds in the United States , 1934, Parasitology.