Presenter(s)
Kelli Beall, Abby Nelson, Juanita Dewald, and Bethany Basile
Abstract
The phylum acanthocephalan is home to over 1100 species of intestinal parasites that inhabit the small intestines of vertebrates. Waterfowl are known definitive hosts of acanthocephalans and 52 species have been reported specifically in ducks. Determining the most common species of acanthocephalan in local waterfowl is an important step in discovering possible impacts of infection and, subsequently, prevention. Acanthocephalan samples have been collected from duck dissections conducted by Winona State University Students over the course of five years (2019-2024). The ducks were donated by hunters and all donated ducks were gathered from western Wisconsin. Using these samples the most prevalent species of acanthocephalan in dabbler species ducks will be determined. The method of identification of acanthocephalans used is DNA extraction and PCR amplification using COX-1 and 18s primers. The amplified DNA will be sent to an outside facility for DNA sequencing which will identify the species of acanthocephalan. The DNA sequence will be compared to known sequences in GenBank as well as proboscis morphology using a dichotomous key for further verification. Using both methods the most prevalent species of acanthocephalan present in dabbler ducks in the western Wisconsin region will be determined.
College
College of Science & Engineering
Department
Biology
Campus
Winona
First Advisor/Mentor
Kimberly Bates
Location
Ballroom - Kryzsko Commons
Start Date
4-18-2024 10:00 AM
End Date
4-18-2024 11:00 AM
Presentation Type
Poster Session
Format of Presentation or Performance
In-Person
Session
1b=10am-11am
Poster Number
14
Prevalence of Acanthocephalan Species in Dabbler Ducks in the Western Wisconsin Region
Ballroom - Kryzsko Commons
The phylum acanthocephalan is home to over 1100 species of intestinal parasites that inhabit the small intestines of vertebrates. Waterfowl are known definitive hosts of acanthocephalans and 52 species have been reported specifically in ducks. Determining the most common species of acanthocephalan in local waterfowl is an important step in discovering possible impacts of infection and, subsequently, prevention. Acanthocephalan samples have been collected from duck dissections conducted by Winona State University Students over the course of five years (2019-2024). The ducks were donated by hunters and all donated ducks were gathered from western Wisconsin. Using these samples the most prevalent species of acanthocephalan in dabbler species ducks will be determined. The method of identification of acanthocephalans used is DNA extraction and PCR amplification using COX-1 and 18s primers. The amplified DNA will be sent to an outside facility for DNA sequencing which will identify the species of acanthocephalan. The DNA sequence will be compared to known sequences in GenBank as well as proboscis morphology using a dichotomous key for further verification. Using both methods the most prevalent species of acanthocephalan present in dabbler ducks in the western Wisconsin region will be determined.
