Cestode Diversity of Free-Range Domestic Chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) in Phitsanulok Province

Natural-fed, free-range domestic chickens are at high risk of parasitic infection, particularly by cestode. Insects, ants, and hymenoptera on the ground are intermediate hosts of cestode. This study aims to investigate               the diversity of cestodes that infected in free-range domestic chickens in Phitsanulok Province. Intestine specimens (n=900 samples) were collected from market in 9 districts. The cestodes were examined from intestine specimens using stereo microscope. Investigators found 4,841 cestodes belonging to four species: Cotugnia sp., Raillietina sp., R. echinobothrida and R. tetragona . The highest prevalence was R. echinobothrida (37.83 %) and following by R. tetragona, Raillietina sp., and Cotugnia sp. with equal to 31.27%, 17.57% and 13.34%, respectively. For the mean intensity of parasites found highest in R. echinobothrida with 4.09 per one intestine sample and following by Raillietina sp., R. tetragona, and Cotugnia sp. with 3.74, 3.73 and 1.19 per one intestine sample, respectively. Keywords : diversity, cestode, domestic chicken, Phitsanulok Province