Imperial shag, Phalacrocorax atriceps (Aves, Phalacrocoracidae): New host for a respiratory parasite, Cyathostoma (Cyathostoma) phenisci (Nematoda, Syngamidae)

In a small scale study, 5 specimens belonging to 4 species of Chilean cormorants were studied. From them, the imperial shag, Phalacrocorax atriceps, harboured the nematode Cyathostoma (Cyathostoma) phenisci, meanwhile in the other 3 cormorant species that were necropsied, no parasites were found. All the hosts came from the southern Chile, and were collected during 2013. Only 3 nematodes were found and all of them were inside the trachea; 2 of them were copulating, and the female was ovigerous, meaning that the imperial shag would be a suitable host for this parasite. This is the first record of C. (C.) phenisci in a cormorant. At necropsy, the bird was emaciated, however no lesions were found within the trachea.