The eggs of some blood-flukes (Trematoda: Schistosomatidae) from South African birds

Abstract

The eggs of three species of avian schistosomes were recovered from indigenous South African birds. Gigantobilharzia sp. was recorded from the kelp gull, Larus dominicanus and the gannet, Morus capensis; Austrobilharzia sp. from L. dominicanus, and Trichobilharzia sp. from the spurwing goose, Plectropterus gambensis, the Egyptian goose, Alopochen aegyptiacus and L. dominicanus. The morphology of these eggs is compared to that of described species of avian schistosomes.