Ectoparasites of terrestrial vertebrates inhabiting the Georgia Barrier Islands, USA: an inventory and preliminary biogeographical analysis

Abstract

Aim To document ectoparasitic arthropods of terrestrial vertebrates inhabiting barrier islands and to offer preliminary interpretations.Location The coast of Georgia, USA, with most data presented for St Catherines, Sapelo, Jekyll, and Cumberland islands.Methods Ectoparasites were collected and identified from hundreds of live-trapped mammals, birds, and reptiles. Ticks and louse-flies were also collected by dragging or flagging a white cloth through vegetation. Some ectoparasites were recovered from host nests or roosting sites. Literature records and specimen records from the US National Tick Collection supplemented these data.Results Inventories of ectoparasite species recovered from vertebrates on each island are provided. Many new records and a small number of undescribed species are reported.Main conclusions Compared with most ectoparasite faunas associated with the same host species on the adjacent mainland, ectoparasite species diversity on the barrier islands is depauperate. Possible reasons for this phenomenon are discussed including ecological, geological, and vicariant factors. Tick faunas do not appear to be depauperate on the islands probably because immature stages attach to visiting or migrating birds. Some host-ectoparasite associations that we recorded are atypical for mainland faunas. This trend has also been recorded in some previous surveys of insular ectoparasites and may be related to vacant ectoparasite niches on some islands.

Abundances and host relationships of chigger mites in Yunnan Province, China

“…For example, only 12 species of chigger mite have been identified in the whole of Afghanistan (Daniel et al, 2010). Moreover, in comparison with related reports on the species diversity, species composition and fauna of ectoparasites on small mammals, the species diversity of chigger mites identified in the present study (224 species) exceeded that in other studies reporting on several taxonomic categories of ectoparasite, including fleas, lice, ticks, chigger mites and gamasid mites (Ritzi & Whitaker, 2003;Wilson & Durden, 2003;Durden et al, 2004;Storm & Ritzi, 2008;Oguge et al, 2009;Paramasvaran et al, 2009;Changbunjong et al, 2010). The high species diversity of chigger mites in Yunnan Province may be related to various factors.…”

Analysis of ectoparasites (chigger mites, gamasid mites, fleas and sucking lice) of the Yunnan red‐backed vole (Eothenomys miletus) sampled throughout its range in southwest China

“…Ectoparasites are a diverse and highly adapted group of animals that infest the external body surfaces of vertebrates and some other animals (Askew, ; Hanafi‐Bojd et al ., ). They include several categories of arthropod, including fleas, chewing lice, sucking lice, ticks, chigger mites, gamasid mites, itch mites (mange mites or scabies mites), vermiform mites (follicle mites or demodex mites), fur mites, feather mites, some short‐feeding transient ectoparasites (such as conenose bugs, louse flies and biting flies) and even occasional arthropods that are parasitic on skin (such as some maggots) (Zumpt, ; Wilson & Durden, ; Mehlhorn et al ., ; Ntiamoa‐Baidu et al ., ). This paper refers to four categories of ectoparasitic insects and mites [fleas (order Siphonaptera in class Insecta); sucking lice (order Phthiraptera in class Insecta); chigger mites (order Prostigmata in subclass Acari); gamasid mites (order Mesostigmata in subclass Acari)] that represent the majority of ectoparasites on rodents and other small mammals (Deng et al ., ; Song, ; Huang & Guo, ).…”

“…Tel. : + 86 872 225 7102; Fax: + 86 872 225 7106; E-mail: xianguoguo@yahoo.com biting flies) and even occasional arthropods that are parasitic on skin (such as some maggots) (Zumpt, 1973;Wilson & Durden, 2003;Mehlhorn et al, 2005;Ntiamoa-Baidu et al, 2005). This paper refers to four categories of ectoparasitic insects and mites [fleas (order Siphonaptera in class Insecta); sucking lice (order Phthiraptera in class Insecta); chigger mites (order Prostigmata in subclass Acari); gamasid mites (order Mesostigmata in subclass Acari)] that represent the majority of ectoparasites on rodents and other small mammals (Deng et al, 1993;Song, 1999;Huang & Guo, 2010).…”

Bovicola tibialis(Phthiraptera: Trichodectidae): Occurrence of an Exotic Chewing Louse on Cervids in North America: Table 1.

“…in both western and eastern North America; see also Wilson and Durden [2003] and Nettles et al [2002]), at least in part by human movement of infested hosts, before they were detected and correctly identiÞed. Both have a long history of early-collected specimens that were misidentiÞed.…”