Language: English
Birds (Aves) are the most numerous group of homeotherm vertebrates and they harbour the highest number of helminth parasites, a substantial part of them being Acanthocephala. The author summarise existing informations about Acanthocephala parasitizing in birds of the Czech and the Slovak Republics. The checklist is based on critical evaluation of literary data (more than 100 papers published during the period 1928-2010), but primary on extensive findings (partly unpublished) of the author obtained during his long-term (1962-2010) studies of the helminth parasites found in 15 000 birds of 235 species in the Czech Republic, especially in Central Moravia and South Bohemia.
A total of 21 Acanthocephala species are listed from birds in the Czech Republic (18 species, with 10 Acanthocephala taxa reported from the Czech Repubic for the first time) and the Slovak Republic (10 species), together with data on their definitive hosts, site of infection, records in the above-mentioned countries as well as basic information about their principal definitive hosts, zoogeographical distribution and life-cycles (if known).
This publication is intended for parasitologists, ornithologists, ichthyologists, biologists, veterinarians, workers in fisheries and university students. It may also be of interest to those who are engaged in nature conservation and for museologist. The checklist is compiled in English to be useful also for foreigners.