Eucotyle castanea n.sp. and other trematodes of the family Eucotylidae from birds in British Columbia

Abstract

Four species of trematodes of the family Eucotylidae were collected from birds in British Columbia. Eucotyle castanea n.sp. from Melanitta deglandi (Bonaparte) differs from other members of the genus mainly by the presence, throughout its parenchyma, of a reddish-brown pigment. E. cohni Skrjabin, 1924 was recovered from Podiceps grisegena holböllii Reinhardt, Clangula hyemalis (Linnaeus), Bucephala clanguia (Linneaus), and Padiceps aurittis (Linnaeus). E. warreni Schell, 1967 was collected from Bucephala islandica (Gmelin) and Tanaisia fedtschenkoi Skrjabin, 1924 from Charadrius vociferus Linnaeus. This is the first record of the occurrence of these parasite species in Canada.The structure of the cirrus sac in E. castanea and E. cohni and the excretory system of the latter species are described. The relationship between Eucotyle and Tanaisia is discussed and a key to the species of Eucotyle is included.