Intestinal Helminths of the Spotted Sandpiper, Actitis macularius (L.), During Fall Migration in New Brunswick, Canada, with a Checklist of Helminths Reported from this Host

Eleven species of helminths (7 trematodes, 3 cestodes, and 1 acanthocephalan) were recovered from 12 spotted sandpipers, Actitis macularius (Linnaeus, 1766), collected from marine habitats in New Brunswick, Canada, during fall migration in August of 2003. All 12 sandpipers were infected, with the numbers of helminths ranging from 2 to 942 individuals; species richness ranged from 2 to 7. The cestode Anomotaenia hypoleuci was the most prevalent helminth and is designated a host specialist. The trematodes Microphallus papillorobustus and Maritrema subdolum were the most abundant helminths. Adult birds tended to have fewer parasites than juveniles, but the data are inconclusive. Each of the helminth species represents a new host record. A checklist of helminth parasites reported from the spotted sandpiper in North and South America is included.