BLOOD PARASITES RECORDED IN ITALIAN BIRDS
Prigioni C. & Sacchi L.Abstract:
During the period 1974·1983 a total of 564 wiId birds from Italy (repiesenting 36 species from 16 families) was examined for haematozoan parasites. Species of Leucocy tozoon and Haemoproteus were recorded from 18.1% and 1.4% of the toral nurnber of examined birds. Leucocyto zeoii-macleani, L. ziemanni, L. berestneffi, L. sakharoffi, Haemoproteus tinnunculi, H. aluci were identified. Leucocytozoon spp. found in Ardeidae, Accipitridae and Falconidae require further taxonomic research. The prevalence of the parasites was compared with published data for Italy and Western Europe.