<i>Diplotriaena obtusa</i> (Nematoda: Filariidae) infection in first-year <i>Sylvia atricapilla</i> from Poland – molecular evidence

Insectivorous birds are particularly vulnerable to nematodes with heteroxenous life cycles. Although there many studies on bird filarioids, they mainly focus economically important or pet species, and as a result, the species diversity of these parasites is insufficiently studied. Research genus Diplotriaena their hosts neglected, although globally occurring dangerous low specificity final host. Here we report prevalence, invasive intensity affiliation filarial in common passerine – Eurasian blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla, L.). In total, 24 first-year individuals S. atricapilla were caught Toruń (central Poland) at breeding grounds July August 2019, after 7 months captivity, killed dissected. Over 20% dissected infected Diplotriaena, air sacs inhabited by 1 18 adult worms. Molecular identification nematode worms was done using 18S small subunit rRNA gene, identified D. obtusa. Our study first show molecular confirmation presence obtusa atricapilla.