Fróðskaparrit - 01.01.2002, Side 135

VISTFRØÐIN HJÁ INNVORTIS SNÍKUM í LUNDA
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from the fíxative and placed in lactophenol
in a petri dish, observed stereomicroscopi-
cally until transparent, and then mounted in
glycerine jelly.
Trematodes, cestodes, and pentastomes:
the specimens were transferred from
preservative to demineralized water, rinsed
thoroughly, and left in the water for 5 min-
utes. The specimens were then transferred
to Semichon’s acetocarmine for 3 to 24
hours for staining, rinsed in 70 % ethanol,
and dehydrated. Dehydration was achieved
by transferring the specimens from 70 %
ethanol to 80 % and to 90 % and then twice
in 96 % leaving the specimens 5 to 10 min-
utes in each solution. Whilst 3 minutes in
absolute ethanol is recommended at the
end, this was not available. The specimens
were then transferred to xylol for a mini-
mum of 7 minutes for clearing. Finally they
were mounted in Canada balsam.
Identification
The parasites were identified to the lowest
possible taxon using keys in Yamaguti
(1958-61), Anderson et al. (1974-80),
Hoberg (1986), and Khalil et al. (1994).
Each identification was checked subse-
quently by Isam Sadula Saeed (Danish
Agricultural Academy, Department for Ex-
perimental Parasitology).
Statistical methods
For independent two-sample tests, the para-
metric student’s t-test (t-test) was used for
comparing means. However, heterogeneity
of variance was common and standard
transformation was usually unsuccessful in
stabilising the variance. Non-parametric
tests were applied therefore. In such cases
two-sample tests were done using the
Mann-Whitney test (M-W). Frequency
analysis was carried out by Fisher’s exact
test. All tests were performed using the
SPSS 9.0 version (Hull and Nie, 1981).
Results
Parasite infestation rates
Over-all, the prevalence of infestation in
the 173 puffins was 66.5 %; trematodes oc-
curred in 35.8 %, cestodes in 31.8 %, ne-
matodes in 21.4 %, and pentastomes in 2.3
% (see also Table 1). No puffin infested
with cestodes also harboured pentastomes.
Parasite identification
Only one trematode genus, Gymnophallus
(Microphallidae) was found; the site of in-
festation was mostly the gallbladder, but
occasionally also the kidneys. Two species
of cestodes were found of which the most
common by far was Alcataenia sp. (Dilepi-
didae); it occurred primarily in the duode-
num, but several individuals also occurred
in most parts of the gastro-intestinal tract.
A single specimen of the farnily Hy-
menolepidae was found in the anterior part
ol' ihe duodenum. The three nematode
species were: Streptocara sp. (Physa-
lopteridae), Seuratia sp. (Acuariidae), and
Contracaecum sp. (Anisakidae). The ne-
matodes occurred in the oesophagus plus
crop and gizzard. Four birds harboured
pentastomes: Reighardia sp. (Reighardi-
idae); one contained 37 specimens in the
trachea plus primary bronchi, whilst the
other three birds harboured pentastomes in