New record of Scaphanocephalus expansus from the Canary Islands (Spain)

Abstract

The osprey, Pandion haliaetus (L), is a cosmopolitan Falconidae that in the Canary Island (Spain) is considered as "endangered" by the Canary Government. No helminthological data of this host are available for this archipelago due its protected status. Forty three Scaphanocephalus expansus were found from the small intestine of one animal. A morphological and morphometric description is given in this work. The species S. expansus can be considered specialists in ospreys, since it has not been found in any other host. It has been found in Europe, Egypt, Asia and North America. According to the references, this is the first report on the helminth fauna of P. haliaetus in the occidental area of Africa. © 2009 Parasitological Institute of SAS, Košice.