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Ectoparasites from Native and Introduced Birds from Christchurch and Surrounding Areas, New Zealand

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Ectoparasites from Native and Introduced Birds from Christchurch and Surrounding Areas, New Zealand Tuhinga 16: 13–20 Copyright © Te Papa Museum of New Zealand (2005) Ectoparasites from native and introduced birds from Christchurch and surrounding areas, New Zealand Terry D. Galloway Department of Entomology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, CANADA R3T 2N2 ([email protected]) ABSTRACT: Birds found dead as a result of window-strikes on the University of Canterbury campus (Christchurch, New Zealand) and other dead birds submitted to the Zoology Department were examined for ectoparasites. A total of 244 birds of 22 species were examined during 1998–2000. Silvereyes were found in greatest numbers (n = 133) and were infested with the feather louse, Menacanthus eurysternus (Burmeister, 1838) (Phthiraptera: Menoponidae), which reached greatest prevalence and intensity of infesta- tion in the summer and early autumn months; in general, infestation with lice was not related to host sex. One silvereye was infested with a flea, Ceratophyllus gallinae (Schrank, 1803) (Siphonaptera: Ceratophyllidae), a new host–parasite record for New Zealand. The remaining 21 species of birds were infested with, collectively, at least 20 species of lice (including M. eurysternus). Infestation parameters for lice are provided for all host species examined. One male and one female of Ornithoica sp. (Diptera: Hippoboscidae) were found on blackbirds; one blackbird was infested with a male C. gallinae. Two of three Hutton’s shearwaters examined were infested with the tick, Ixodes uriae White, 1852 (Acari: Ixodidae), a new host–parasite record for New Zealand. KEYWORDS: New Zealand, ectoparasites, lice, Phthiraptera, fleas, Siphonaptera, Hippoboscidae, ticks, Ixodidae. Introduction infestation parameters or seasonal dynamics of para- sitism in any ectoparasites of New Zealand birds (but see The ectoparasites of birds in New Zealand have been the Galloway & Challies 1992; Palma & Imber 2000). During subject of considerable study. The chewing lice were sum- 1998–1999, I had the opportunity to salvage birds that had marised by Pilgrim & Palma (1982) and Palma (1999), and died after striking windows on the University of Canter- the fleas by Smit (1965, 1979, 1984) and Pilgrim (1980). bury campus (Christchurch, New Zealand). My objectives Bishop & Heath (1998) provided a complete summary of were to determine what species of ectoparasites infested the ectoparasites and their associated bird hosts, exclusive these birds, and, where the number of specimens permit- of the Phthiraptera (as Mallophaga). ted, how their infestation varied throughout the year. The Although the fauna of insect ectoparasites is reason- species of feather mites collected during this study are ably well known, there have been few studies to investigate reported elsewhere (Mironov & Galloway 2002a, b). 14 Tuhinga, Number 16 (2005) Materials and methods Results Dead birds were collected throughout the day beneath A total of 244 specimens of 22 species of birds were exam- glass-sided, overhead walkways connecting buildings on ined. Eleven species (225 specimens) were collected the University of Canterbury campus, mostly from August beneath windows on campus and 14 species (19 speci- 1998 to June 1999. The first collections were made shortly mens) were from other sources. Species of ectoparasites and after sunrise and visits to the windows on most days were infestation parameters for each host species are treated repeated at 3–4 hour intervals, often until sunset. Most below, dealing first with those species collected from birds were fresh and often still warm when collected, so beneath the windows (as indicated by ‘*’). the numbers of ectoparasites leaving the body of their host 1. Zosterops lateralis lateralis (Latham, 1901): tauhou, was presumed minimal. Fleas and hippoboscids tend to be silvereye* quite responsive to host death (pers. obs.) and an undeter- Silvereyes were collected in the largest number of all species mined number of these taxa may have left some hosts. at the windows on campus. A total of 133 specimens (66‚; Occasionally birds were found beneath windows elsewhere 64„; 3 not sexed) were examined. Most specimens were on campus, and if it was possible to determine that they collected during March–May 1999 (n = 94), some were had died recently, they were collected. A number of birds collected during the summer months October 1998 to that had been stored in the Department of Zoology freezer February 1999 (n = 29), and relatively few were collected (Jim Briskie, University of Canterbury) and specimens during the winter and early spring months, during submitted to the department by members of the public May–September 1998 (n = 1) and in June 1999 (n = 9). were also examined. None of the birds collected had developed gonads, though Each bird was placed individually in a polyethylene one female collected on 29 October 1998 had initiated bag along with an appropriate label and frozen for a ovarian development. The first individual that could be minimum of 72 hours to kill all ectoparasites before positively recognised as a juvenile was collected on 6 examination. Birds were thawed at room temperature and January 1999; the first bird collected in 1999 with winter were washed vigorously in two changes of warm soapy plumage was noted on 17 March, and after 30 March all water, and one of clear warm water. Each wash was passed birds were in winter plumage. through a 200-µm sieve and the contents were rinsed The only species of louse found on silvereyes in this into a Petri dish for examination under a dissecting micro- study was Menacanthus eurysternus (Burmeister, 1838), scope. Ectoparasites were preserved in 70% ethanol; lice the only species reported from this host in New Zealand and fleas were eventually prepared onto slides for by Pilgrim & Palma (1982) and elsewhere (Price et al. identification using the method described by Richards 2003). Over the entire study, 49.6% (95% confidence (1964). Host sex was determined primarily by dissection limits: 0.408, 0.584) of the birds were infested at a mean and examination of the reproductive organs after the intensity of 7.2 (95% confidence limits: 5.76, 9.20). The ectoparasites had been removed. Voucher specimens have distribution of lice was strongly aggregated among their been deposited in the J.B. Wallis Museum of Entomology, hosts, k = 0.268, Index of Discrepancy, d = 0.744. In University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, general, infestation levels were low, and only 14 of 66 and the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, infested birds carried more than 10 lice. The most heavily Wellington. infested silvereye was a female, collected on 13 April 1999, Common and scientific names for the birds are as cited with 35 lice (4‚; 7„; 24 nymphs). in the Ornithological Society of New Zealand Checklist Most of the M. eurysternus collected were nymphs (1990). Infestation parameters are reported as prevalence (72.6%) and 79.4% of infested silvereyes carried immature (the percentage of hosts infested), mean intensity (the lice (mean intensity = 6.5). There was no significant differ- mean number of ectoparasites per infested host), and ence in the mean intensity of infestation by male and range. Comparisons in infestation parameters were con- female lice (1.9 and 1.8, respectively), but more infested ducted using Quantitative Parasitology 2.0, according to birds carried female lice (67.7%) than male lice (41.2%). Rózsa et al. (2000). The study was divided into three sampling periods: May to December (pre-fledging, when no identifiable Ectopararasites from birds 15 Table 1 Prevalence (%) and mean intensity of infestation of male and female silvereyes (Zosterops lateralis lateralis) with Menacanthus eurysternus at different times of the year, collected on the University of Canterbury campus during 1998–1999. Values followed by different letters within columns are significantly different (P ≤ 0.05), Fisher’s exact test for comparing prevalences and bootstrap 2-sample t-test for comparing intensities. Males Females Not sexed Total Sample Period % (n)1 Intensity % (n) Intensity % (n) Intensity % (n) Intensity 10.v.–31.xii.1998 30.0 (10) 4.3 0 (6) – 33.3 (3) 4.0 21.1 (19)a 4.3 c 1.i.–30.iv.1999 63.9 (36) 8.4 67.6 (37) 7.2 – – 65.8 (73)b 8.0 c 1.v.–17.vi.1999 40.0 (20) 4.4 38.1 (21) 7.5 – – 39.0 (41)b 5.9 c 1 Numbers of birds examined during the sample period. juvenile birds were collected), January to April (post- recorded three additional species of lice from T. merula in fledging, when recognisable juveniles of the year were New Zealand: Brueelia merulensis (Denny, 1842), B. amsel present), and May to June (post-breeding, when young of (Eichler, 1951), and Myrsidea thoracica (Giebel, 1874). the year could no longer be identified with confidence), to The prevalence and intensity of infestation were: with P. demonstrate the distinctly seasonal pattern in louse turdi only 23.5% and 10.3 (range = 1–25), respectively; infestation of silvereyes (Table 1). Prevalence was greater with M. eurysternus only, 32.4% and 10.5 (range = 1–44), (P ≤0.05) during the summer, January–April, sampling respectively. Two birds (5.9%) were infested with both P. period than during the May–December period. Prevalence turdi and M. eurysternus. was also higher during the summer compared to the Two blackbirds (one juvenile male, 13 January, and post-breeding period, but not significantly so (P = 0.13). one juvenile female, 23 February; 5.9%) were each infested Mean intensity was also greatest during the summer, but with one female and one male hippoboscid, Ornithoica sp., not significantly so (P ≥ 0.05). No females were infested respectively. Ornithoica stipituri (Schiner, 1868) has been in the initial May–December sampling period (when sam- reported from blackbirds in New Zealand (Maa 1966), ple size was small), but in the other two sample periods, but the specific identity of the specimens collected in the there was no significant effect of host sex on infestation current study was not determined.
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