The helminth fauna of the red-crested cardinal (Paroaria coronata) Passeriformes: Emberizidae in Brazil.

With the objective of identifying the helminths of Paroaria coronata, 40 birds were necropsied, and their organs and contents were examined. The parasites were preserved in 70 masculineGL alcohol and prepared for identification using standard techniques. The helminth fauna found in P. coronata were Aproctella carinii, Dispharynx nasuta, Capillaria sp., Diplotriaena sp., Tanaisia oviaspera, Tanaisia valida, Tanaisia sp., Prosthogonimus ovatus, Orthoskrjabinia sp., and Mediorhynchus sp., with Nematoda being most represented, occurring in 22.5% of the birds. Besides being the first record of these helminths in P. coronata, this work also extends the area of occurrence of Orthoskrjabinia sp. for Brazil and of A. carinii, Diplotriaena sp., T. oviaspera, T. valida, and Mediorhynchus sp. for the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

Helminths parasitizing Columbina picui (Columbiformes: Columbidae) in Brazil.

Columbina picui (picui ground-dove) is a small, diurnal columbid bird that lives, in couples or flocks, in open areas in the countryside and urban centers. The species occurs in Brazil and other countries in South America. The aim of this study was to identify the helminths that parasitize C. picui in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil. Thirty-four specimens were necropsied; in each case, the organs were isolated and examined separately. The nematodes and their prevalences were: Ascaridia columbae (26.5%) and Ornithostrongylus iheringi (11.8%) in the small intestine; Dispharynx nasuta in the proventriculus (5.9%) and gizzard (2.9%); and a Dispharynx sp. (2.9%) in the proventriculus. This is the first report of D. nasuta parasitizing C. picui in Brazil and the first record of A. columbae and O. iheringi infecting C. picui in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.