The helminth infracommunities in three species of herons (Aves: Ardeidae) from Ukraine.

Abstract

This survey analysed the helminth communities associated with three Ukrainian heron species (Ardea cinerea, Ardea purpurea, Nycticorax nycticorax) collected throughout 1947-2019. The sample analysed included 128 specimens, and 55 helminth species were identified. Of these, the most diverse taxonomic group was trematodes with 29 species, followed by cestodes with 14 species, nematodes with nine, and acanthocephalans with three species. The helminth infracommunities were found to be similar across all three host species. Furthermore, the distance to the coastal regions impacts both diversity and species richness in infracommunities.