A broad range of birds are infected with Sarcocystis species as can be diagnosed by the existence of tissue cysts inside their muscle fibers. With respect to transmission experiments, rather few species are investigated. Thus in many cases, the life cycle is unknown, since the final (definitive) host (a raptor animal) has not yet been detected. The species determination in these cases is based on gene sequences in units such as 18SrRNA, 28SrRNA, or ITS-1.
The following Sarcocystis species have been described in more details than others:
Species |
Intermediate host |
Final host |
|---|---|---|
S. albifrons |
White fronted goose (Anser albifrons) |
Arctic fox |
S. anasi |
Mallard ducks (Anas species) |
? |
S. calchasi |
Domestic pigeon (Columba livia) |
Hawks (Accipiter gentilis) |
S. chloropusae |
Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) |
Minks? |
S. columbae |
Wood pigeon (Columba palumbus) |
Hawks (Accipiter nisus) |
S. cornixi |
Hooded crow (Corvus cornix) |
? |
S. corvusi |
Jackdaw (Corvus monedula) |
? |
S. falcatula |
Falcons (Falco sp.) |
? |
... |
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Further Readings
Dubey JP et al (2010) Morphologic and molecular characterization of the sarcocysts of Sarcocystis rileyi from the mallard duck (Anas platyrhynchos). J Parasitol 96:765–770
El-Morsey A et al (2014) Sarcocystis chloropusae n. sp. infecting the common moorhen (Gallinula chloropus). Parasitol Res (in press)
Kutkiene I et al (2009) Sarcocystis in birds of the family Corvidae with the description of Sarcocystis cornixi n. sp. from the hooded crown (Corvus cornix). Parasitol Res 104:329–336
Kutkiene I et al (2010) The mallard duck (Anas platyrhynchos) as intermediate host of Sarcocystis wobeseri from the barnacle goose (Branta leucopis). Parasitol Res 107:879–888
Kutkiene I et al (2012) Description of Sarcocystis anasi sp. nov. and S. albifronsi sp. nov. in birds of the order Anseriformis. Parasitol Res 110:1043–1046
Mehlhorn H, Heydorn AO (1978) Sarcosporidia (Protozoa, Sporozoa): life cycle and fine structure. Adv Parasitol 16:43–91
Olias P et al (2010a) Sarcocystis calchasi nov. sp. of the domestic pigeon (Columba livia f. domestica) and the Northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis). Parasitol Res 106:577–585
Olias P et al (2010b) Sarcocystis calchasi is distinct to S. columbae sp. nov. from the wood pigeon (Columba palumbus and Sarcocystis sp. from the sparrow hawk (Accipiter nisus). Vet Parasitol 171:7–14
Prakas P et al (2013) Molecular and morphological investigations of Sarcocystis corvusi sp. nov. from the jackdaw (Corvus monedula). Parasitol Res 112:1163–1167
Prakas P et al (2014) Description of Sarcocystis lari sp. nov. from the great black-backed gull Larus marinus on the basis of cyst morphology and DNA results. Parasitol Res 109:1603–1608
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Mehlhorn, H. (2016). Sarcocystis Species of Birds. In: Mehlhorn, H. (eds) Encyclopedia of Parasitology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-43978-4_4850
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