The occurrence of avian acanthocephalan Polymorphus minutus (Goeze, 1782) in raccoons (Procyon lotor L.) introduced to Europe

Acanthocephalan larvae were found during parasitological sections in intestines of four out of 84 individuals of raccoon (Procyon lotor L.) from eastern Czech Republic. They were identified as cystacanths of Polymorphus minutus (Goeze, 1782). Because water birds are the proper hosts of this parasite, this record is among the rare ones. For this reason we present the morphological description, biometric data and photographs of the parasites, as well as a discussion of similar cases reported in the literature.