Morphological and ecological characteristic of Dicranotaenia stenosacculata Macko, 1988 (Cestoda, Hymenolepididae) recorded in Poland

During the parasitological examination of 288 wild ducks from north-western Poland, 18 tapeworms were found in the intestines (jejunum, ileum and rectum) of six birds, which, based on the structure of the scolex, internal organs and the presence of cirrus with an internal additional sac, were determinated as Dicranotaenia stenosacculata Macko, 1988. Tapeworms were found in two young females Bucephala clangula, one young female Aythya marila as well as two adult males Aythya fuligula. The aim of the study was to present the morphological and ecological characteristics of the species, recently discovered for the first time in the fauna of Poland.