Ectoparasites of the Island Fox on Santa Cruz Island

Crooks, Kevin R.; Scott, Cheryl A.; Angeloni, Lisa M.; Bowen, Lizabeth; Kimsey, Robert B.; Vuren, Dirk H. Van

doi:10.7589/0090-3558-37.1.189

Cited by 16 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 22 publications

(31 reference statements)

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“…Ectoparasites, specifically fleas and ticks, were more prevalent on SRI than SMI, and presence varied by season, as had been previously reported (Crooks et al ). In contrast to work by other authors (St. Juliana et al ), we saw no difference in fecal GC concentrations in relation to the presence of ectoparasites.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 72%

Factors Affecting Glucocorticoid and Thyroid Hormone Production of Island Foxes

et al. 2019

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The island fox (Urocyon littoralis) is native to 6 of the 8 Channel Islands of California, USA. The species experienced a population decline in the 1990s but recovered after predatory golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) were relocated and feral pigs (Sus scrofa), a main food source for the eagles, were removed. As part of an ongoing conservation program, the National Park Service conducts yearly health surveys on foxes residing on Santa Rosa and San Miguel islands. In this study, we document non‐invasive measures of stress and nutritional status from fecal samples collected during surveys from 2009 to 2015. We collected samples defecated in traps overnight or during handling and measured concentrations of glucocorticoid (GC) and triiodothyronine (T3) metabolites using validated assays. We used generalized linear mixed models to assess the relationships between hormones, season, island, age class, sex, body condition, reproductive status, and ectoparasite presence. Overall, males had marginally lower fecal T3 concentrations than females. Concentrations of both hormones positively correlated with body condition. Fecal GC production varied seasonally; concentrations were highest from December to February and declined through the summer and fall. During summer, younger females and those with signs of recent reproduction had higher fecal GC concentrations than older females or those without evidence of reproduction. Fecal T3 concentrations did not vary in relation to season, age, or reproductive status, but on San Miguel Island were positively correlated with ectoparasite presence. There were no other significant differences between islands. Our results provide hormone data for island foxes and demonstrate that production varies in relation to seasonal and biological factors. These reference data will serve as a comparison for future health surveys and allow managers to identify factors associated with increased stress or reduced nutritional state. © 2019 The Wildlife Society.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 72%

Factors Affecting Glucocorticoid and Thyroid Hormone Production of Island Foxes

et al. 2019

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“…Several studies agree with our findings that fleas belonging to the genus Pulex are the most abundant and prevalent on wild canids and mephitids in the United States as well as Europe. This pattern has been described for kit foxes ( Vulpes macrotis ) (Harrison et al ), swift foxes ( V. velox ) (McGee et al , Salkeld et al ), Island foxes ( Urocyon littoralis ) (Crooks et al ), gray foxes ( U. cinereoargenteus ) (Gabriel et al ), coyotes ( Canis latrans ) (Hopla ), and two species of skunks ( Mephitis mephitis and Spilogale gracilis amphiala ) (Crooks et al ; Brinkerhoff ) from the U.S. and in red foxes ( V. vulpes ) from Spain (Márquez et al ) and Hungary (Sréter et al ). The Pulex genus comprises six species (Whiting et al ), but only two of them, P. simulans and P. irritans , are reported to infest wild carnivore hosts.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 62%

Drivers of flea (Siphonaptera) community structure in sympatric wild carnivores in northwestern Mexico

López‐Pérez

Gage

Rubio

et al. 2018

Journal of Vector Ecology

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Host identity, habitat type, season, and interspecific interactions were investigated as determinants of the community structure of fleas on wild carnivores in northwestern Mexico. A total of 540 fleas belonging to seven species was collected from 64 wild carnivores belonging to eight species. We found that the abundances of some flea species are explained by season and host identity. Pulex irritans and Echidnophaga gallinacea abundances were significantly higher in spring than in fall season. Flea communities on carnivore hosts revealed three clusters with a high degree of similarity within each group that was explained by the flea dominance of E. gallinacea, P. simulans, and P. irritans across host identity. Flea abundances did not differ statistically among habitat types. Finally, we found a negative correlation between the abundances of three flea species within wild carnivore hosts. Individual hosts with high loads of P. simulans males usually had significantly lower loads of P. irritans males or tend to have lower loads of E. gallinacea fleas and vice-versa. Additionally, the logistic regression model showed that the presence of P. simulans males is more likely to occur in wild carnivore hosts in which P. irritans males are absent and vice-versa. These results suggest that there is an apparent competitive exclusion among fleas on wild carnivores. The study of flea community structure on wild carnivores is important to identify the potential flea vectors for infectious diseases and provide information needed to design programs for human health and wildlife conservation.

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“…The depauperate ectoparasite species richness that we have documented here corroborates anecdotal data from some other island studies. For example, only three species of ectoparasites were recovered from the Channel Islands grey fox, Urocyon littoralis (Baird), on Santa Cruz Island, California by Crooks et al. (2001).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The typical host may or may not occur on the island where the atypical association occurs. For example, Crooks et al. (2001) recovered a chewing louse, Neotrichodectes mephitidis (Packard) from the Channel Islands grey fox on Santa Cruz Island, California which, on the North American mainland, parasitizes the striped skunk, Mephitis mephitis (Schreber).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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

Wilson

Durden

2003

Journal of Biogeography

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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.

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Ectoparasites of the Island Fox on Santa Cruz Island

Cited by 16 publications

References 22 publications

Factors Affecting Glucocorticoid and Thyroid Hormone Production of Island Foxes

Factors Affecting Glucocorticoid and Thyroid Hormone Production of Island Foxes

Drivers of flea (Siphonaptera) community structure in sympatric wild carnivores in northwestern Mexico

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

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