Infestation parameters for chewing lice (Phthiraptera: Amblycera, Ischnocera) parasitising true thrushes (Aves: Passeriformes: Turdidae) in Manitoba, Canada

Abstract

Seven species of Turdidae (Aves: Passeriformes) in Manitoba, Canada were examined for chewing lice (Phthiraptera) in 1993–2019: Turdus migratorius (N = 570), Catharus ustulatus (N = 135), Catharus guttatus (N = 49), Catharus minimus (N = 12), Catharus fuscescens (N = 1), Sialia sialis (N = 4), and Sialia currucoides (N = 3). Five species of lice on T. migratorius had a prevalence of 24.0% and a mean intensity of 16.7. Overall prevalence for lice on C. ustulatus, C. guttatus, and C. minimus was 25.0%–59.2%; mean intensity was 7.0–23.3. On S. sialis, the prevalence was 50.0%; mean intensity was 10.0. No lice infested C. fuscescens or S. currucoides. Infestation parameters for each louse–host combination are provided. Louse infestations were highly aggregated. Female lice were more prevalent than males, especially for Ricinus elongatus (Phthiraptera: Amblycera: Ricinidae) infesting T. migratorius (eight males; 81 females), or there was no significant deviation from 50:50. Infestation parameters were higher for adult T. migratorius than for juveniles or feathered chicks but not significantly so. Mean intensity was greater in spring than in fall. Louse abundance was lower than on hosts of similar size in Manitoba and lower than on thrushes in other studies.

Prevalence and diversity of parasitic bird lice (Insecta: Psocodea) in northeast Arkansas

“…For example, lice from the Turdidae species C. ustulatus and C. guttatus were hosts of lice in the genera Brueelia , Myrsidea , and Philopterus , whereas T. migratorius were hosts to only lice in the genus Ricinus . It is also notable that Ricinus lice are often less abundant on T. migratorius compared to Sturnidoecus and Brueelia based on previous research ( Wheeler and Threlfall, 1986 ; Galloway et al, 2021 ). Although a larger sample size could reveal other louse taxa that are associated with these species of birds (e.g., Myrsidea, Menacanthus , Sturnidoecus , and Brueelia from T. migratorius ), our results give unique insight into the regional diversity of lice present on hosts in the southeastern U.S.…”