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Amaral HLDC, Bergmann FB, Santos PRS, Remião MH, Krüger RF, Silveira T. Distribution of phoretic mites and lice in Pseudolynchia canariensis living on pigeons and the relationship with seasonality, carrier sex, plumage coloration and age of definitive hosts. Acta Trop 2024; 249:107068. [PMID: 37951328 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2023.107068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/13/2023]
Abstract
Among the parasites, some groups that have a limited capacity for locomotion, such as mites and lice, the transmission is challenging to win. These ectoparasites disperse through direct contact between hosts or, in some cases, through phoresy. However, these processes are not well-documented in detail because they are difficult to observe and quantify. In the present study, the patterns of distribution of skin mites and phoretic lice on hippoboscid louse fly Pseudolynchia canariensis sampled from Columba livia were evaluated. The analyzed pigeons were juveniles and adults, with three distinct plumage colors: blue checker, spread, or wild type, and were caught over 24 months. A total of 1,381 hippoboscid flies were collected on 377 hosts. The plumage color did not influence the infestation patterns of louse flies on juvenile and adult pigeons, nor did it influence the infestation patterns of skin mites and phoretic lice on the hippoboscid flies. However, the environmental temperature was directly related to higher prevalence, mean infestation intensity, and phoretic species richness on P. canariensis during the hottest seasons. Furthermore, a higher abundance of phoretic mite eggs, including embryonated eggs, was observed in females of P. canariensis in all seasons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo Leonardo da Cunha Amaral
- Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Programa de Pós-graduação em Parasitologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Av. Eliseu Maciel, s/n, Instituto de Biologia: Travessa André Dreyfus, s/n - Prédio 19, Capão do Leão, Rio Grande do Sul CEP: 96010-610, Brazil.
| | - Fabiane Borba Bergmann
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Biodiversidade Animal, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | | | - Mariana Härter Remião
- Núcleo de Biotecnologia, Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Capão do Leão, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Ferreira Krüger
- Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Programa de Pós-graduação em Parasitologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Av. Eliseu Maciel, s/n, Instituto de Biologia: Travessa André Dreyfus, s/n - Prédio 19, Capão do Leão, Rio Grande do Sul CEP: 96010-610, Brazil
| | - Tony Silveira
- Departamento de Morfologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
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Gebrezgiher GB, Makundi RH, Katakweba AAS, Belmain SR, Lyimo CM, Meheretu Y. Arthropod Ectoparasites of Two Rodent Species Occurring in Varied Elevations on Tanzania’s Second Highest Mountain. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12030394. [PMID: 36979086 PMCID: PMC10045264 DOI: 10.3390/biology12030394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
Abstract
Climate change causes organisms, including species that act as parasite reservoirs and vectors, to shift their distribution to higher altitudes, affecting wildlife infestation patterns. We studied how ectoparasite distributions varied with altitude using two rodent species, Montemys delectorum and Rhabdomys dilectus, at different elevations (1500–3500 m). The ectoparasites infesting the two rodent species were influenced by the host sex, species, and temperature. We expected host density to predict parasite infestation patterns, because hosts in higher densities should have more parasites due to increased contact between individuals. However, temperature, not host density, affected ectoparasite distribution. Since temperatures decrease with elevation, parasite prevalences and abundances were lower at higher elevations, highlighting that the cold conditions at higher elevations limit reproduction and development—this shows that higher elevation zones are ideal for conservation. The rodents and ectoparasite species described in this study have been reported as vectors of diseases of medical and veterinary importance, necessitating precautions. Moreover, Mount Meru is a refuge for a number of endemic and threatened species on the IUCN Red List. Thus, the parasitic infection can also be an additional risk to these critical species as well as biodiversity in general. Therefore, our study lays the groundwork for future wildlife disease surveillance and biodiversity conservation management actions. The study found a previously uncharacterized mite species in the Mesostigmata group that was previously known to be a parasite of honeybees. Further investigations may shed light into the role of this mite species on Mount Meru.
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Affiliation(s)
- Genet B. Gebrezgiher
- African Centre of Excellence for Innovative Rodent Pest Management and Biosensor Technology Development, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro P.O. Box 3110, Tanzania
- Institute of Pest Management, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro P.O. Box 3110, Tanzania
- Department of Wildlife Management, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro P.O. Box 3073, Tanzania
- Department of Biology, Mekelle University, Mekelle P.O. Box 231, Ethiopia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.:+255-710-421-237
| | - Rhodes H. Makundi
- African Centre of Excellence for Innovative Rodent Pest Management and Biosensor Technology Development, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro P.O. Box 3110, Tanzania
- Institute of Pest Management, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro P.O. Box 3110, Tanzania
| | - Abdul A. S. Katakweba
- African Centre of Excellence for Innovative Rodent Pest Management and Biosensor Technology Development, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro P.O. Box 3110, Tanzania
- Institute of Pest Management, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro P.O. Box 3110, Tanzania
| | - Steven R. Belmain
- Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Chatham Maritime ME4 4TB, UK
| | - Charles M. Lyimo
- Department of Animal, Aquaculture and Range Sciences, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro P.O. Box 3004, Tanzania
| | - Yonas Meheretu
- Department of Biology, Mekelle University, Mekelle P.O. Box 231, Ethiopia
- Institute of Mountain Research and Development, Mekelle University, Mekelle P.O. Box 3102, Ethiopia
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 901 83 Umea, Sweden
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Do latitudinal and bioclimatic gradients drive parasitism in Odonata? Int J Parasitol 2021; 51:463-470. [PMID: 33610523 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2020.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2020] [Revised: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 11/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Prevalence of parasites in wild animals may follow ecogeographic patterns, under the influence of climatic factors and macroecological features. One of the largest scale biological patterns on Earth is the latitudinal diversity gradient; however, latitudinal gradients may also exist regarding the frequency of interspecific interactions such as the prevalence of parasitism in host populations. Dragonflies and damselflies (order Odonata) are hosts of a wide range of ecto- and endoparasites, interactions that can be affected by environmental factors that shape their occurrence and distribution, such as climatic variation, ultraviolet radiation and vegetation structure. Here, we retrieved data from the literature on parasites of Odonata, represented by 90 populations infected by ectoparasites (water mites) and 117 populations infected by endoparasites (intestinal gregarines). To test whether there is a latitudinal and bioclimatic gradient in the prevalence of water mites and gregarines parasitizing Odonata, we applied Bayesian phylogenetic comparative models. We found that prevalence of ectoparasites was partially associated with latitude, showing the opposite pattern from our expectations - prevalence was reduced at lower latitudes. Prevalence of endoparasites was not affected by latitude. While prevalence of water mites was also positively associated with vegetation biomass and climatic stability, we found no evidence of the effect of bioclimatic variables on the prevalence of gregarines. Our study suggests that infection by ectoparasites of dragonflies and damselflies is driven by latitudinal and bioclimatic variables. We add evidence of the role of global-scale biological patterns in shaping biodiversity, suggesting that parasitic organisms may prove reliable sources of information about climate change and its impact on ecological interactions.
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Leveau L. United colours of the city: A review about urbanisation impact on animal colours. AUSTRAL ECOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.13005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Leveau
- Departamento de Ecología Genética y Evolución Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales Universidad de Buenos Aires – IEGEBA (CONICET – UBA) Ciudad Universitaria, Pab 2, Piso 4 Buenos Aires1426Argentina
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Galloway TD, Lamb RJ. Population Dynamics of Chewing Lice (Phthiraptera) Infesting Birds (Aves). ANNUAL REVIEW OF ENTOMOLOGY 2021; 66:209-224. [PMID: 33417821 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ento-041420-075608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
In the past 25 years, studies on interactions between chewing lice and their bird hosts have increased notably. This body of work reveals that sampling of live avian hosts, collection of the lice, and the aggregated distributions of louse infestations pose challenges for assessing louse populations. The number of lice on a bird varies among host taxa, often with host size and social system. Host preening behavior limits louse abundance, depending on bill shape. The small communities of lice (typically one-four species) that live on individual birds show species-specific patterns of abundance, with consistently common and rare species, and lower year-to-year population variability than other groups of insects. Most species of lice appear to breed continuously on their hosts, with seasonal patterns of abundance sometimes related to host reproduction and molting. Competition may have led to spatial partitioning of the host by louse species, but seldom contributes to current patterns of abundance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terry D Galloway
- Department of Entomology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2, Canada;
| | - Robert J Lamb
- Department of Entomology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2, Canada;
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