Hippoboscid flies (Diptera: Hippoboscidae) on birds of prey in the Atlantic Forest, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Abstract

Hippoboscid flies are potential ectoparasites of several avian orders, including birds of prey, a group formed by the orders Falconiformes, Strigiformes, Cathartiformes and Accipitriformes. In this study, we evaluated 155 birds of prey that were brought to the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil, between the years 2016 and 2019. Two species of hippoboscid flies (Ornithoctona erythrocephala and Icosta americana) were found in five species of birds of prey (Megascops choliba, Asio stygius, Athene cunicularia, Asio clamator and Caracara plancus). The average intensity found was 1.4 hippoboscids/bird and Megascops choliba (tropical screech-owl) was the most parasitized bird. This is the first record of parasitism of Asio stygius (stygian owl) by Ornithoctona erythrocephala in Brazil and of Athene cunicularia (burrowing owl) and Asio clamator (striped owl) by Icosta americana. Ornithoctona erythrocephala is recorded here for the first time infesting birds of prey in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Hippoboscid flies in wild birds rescued at the Sorocaba Zoo, São Paulo, Brazil

“…Hippoboscids flies are parasites usually associated with birds of prey (Accipitriformes, Cathartiformes, Falconiformes and Strigiformes) and pigeons (Columbiformes). Although less frequent, in Brazil hippoboscids were also collected on Passeriformes, Piciformes and Galliformes (Moreira et al, 2019, Vélez et al, 2020Gomes et al, 2021), corroborating other studies (Murgas et al, 2014;Barino et al 2021;Graciolli, Bispo, 2005;Graciolli and Oak, 2003;Liébana et al, 2011).…”

“…In agreement with a previous study conducted in 155 birds of prey received in a rescue center in Minas Gerais, Brazil, the parasitism by Ornithoctona erytrocephala and Icosta americana reposted. (Barino et al, 2021). Vaz and Teixeira (2016) and Moreira et al (2019) reported parasitism by Ornithoctona erytrocephala and Icosta americana in avian, occurring in the Brazilian South and Southeast regions, respectively.…”

Unique Host-Parasite Relationships from Wildlife and Pets at a Zoological Medicine Service at Central Oklahoma

“…Live-animal trapping is commonly used for wild animals, but current studies trap one or two host species as part of a larger focus (Pirrello et al 2015, Bezerra-Santos et al 2021, Levesque-Beaudin and Sinclair 2021 or continue to use randomness of roadkill or road injury cases to obtain samples (McAllister et al 2018(McAllister et al , 2019Lavallée et al 2020). Involvement of regional zoological medicine service or wildlife rehabilitator, often raptor rehabilitation centers, to identify regional ectoparasite-host relationships provide collections in an environment where the animal can be treated and released again into the wild (Morishita et al 2001, Barino et al 2021, Gherardi et al 2021). This study demonstrated direct usefulness of such a clinic to define new host relationships in the region as well as new records for ectoparasites in the state.…”