A Survey of Ectoparasites from Microtus Ochrogaster Ochrogaster
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Eastern Illinois University The Keep Masters Theses Student Theses & Publications 1973 A Survey of Ectoparasites from Microtus ochrogaster ochrogaster (Wagner), Peromyscus leucopus noveboracensis (Fisher), and Cryptotis parva harlani (Say) Fred Basolo Jr. Eastern Illinois University This research is a product of the graduate program in Zoology at Eastern Illinois University. Find out more about the program. Recommended Citation Basolo, Fred Jr., "A Survey of Ectoparasites from Microtus ochrogaster ochrogaster (Wagner), Peromyscus leucopus noveboracensis (Fisher), and Cryptotis parva harlani (Say)" (1973). Masters Theses. 3823. https://thekeep.eiu.edu/theses/3823 This is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Theses & Publications at The Keep. It has been accepted for inclusion in Masters Theses by an authorized administrator of The Keep. For more information, please contact [email protected]. PAPER CERTIFICATE #2 TO: Graduate Degree Candidates who have written formal theses. SUBJECT: Permission to reproduce theses. The University Library is receiving a number of requests from other institutions asking permission to reproduce dissertations for inclusion in their library holdings. Although no copyright laws are involved, we feel that professional courtesy demands that permission be obtained from the author before we allow theses to be copied. Please sign one of the following statements: Booth Library of Eastern Illinois University has my permission to lend my thesis to a reputable college or university for the purpose of copying it for inclusion in that institution's library or research holdings. rr Date I respectfully request Booth Library of Eastern Illinois University not allow my thesis be reproduced because��- Date Author pdm A SURVEY OF ECTOPARAS ITES FROM MI CROTUS OCHROGASTER OCHROGASTER (WAGNER). PEROMYSCUS LEUCOPUSNOVEBORACENS IS (FlSHER), AND CRYPTOTI S PARVA HARLAN I (SAY) (TITLE) BY FRED BASOLO JR. ;:u... B. S. in Ed. , Eastern Illinois Un iversity, 1972 THESIS SUBMIITTD IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCI ENCE IN THE GRADUATE SCHOOL, EASTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY CHARLESTON, ILLINOIS 1973 YEAR I HEREBY RECOMMEND THIS THESIS BE ACCEPTED AS FULFILLING THIS PART OF THE GRADUATE DEGREE CITED ABOVE /C> ¥.1973 ATE #�1173 7 DATE The unders igned , appointed by the head of the Depa rtment of Zoology , have examined a thes is entitled A SURVEY OF ECTOPARAS ITES FROM MICROTUS OCHROGASTER OCHROGASTE R (WAGNER) , PEROMYSCUS LE UCOPUS NOVEBORACENSIS (FISHER) , AND CRYPTOTIS PARVA HARLAN I (SAY) Presented By FRED BASOLO JR. a candidate for the degree of Master of Science and hereby certify that in the ir op inion it is acceptable. ABSTRACT Ectoparasites were taken from 50 white footed deer mice, Pero myscus leucopus noveboracens is (Fisher) , 50 prairie vo les, Microtus ochroga ster och rogaster (Wagner) , and 11 least shrews , Cryptotis parva harlani (Say) , within a five mi le radius of Charleston , 11 linois from 23 January 1973 th rough 25 June 1973. A total number of 4,242 ecto parasi tes were recovered; 2,395 from Microtus och rogaste r, 542 from Pe romyscus leucopus , and 1,305 from Cryptot is pa rva . The major groups of ectopa ras ites and their percent recovery we re : Aca ri (excl . of Metast igmata) 81 .50%, Metast i gmata 2.95% , Anoplura 15.50% and Siphonap tera 0.50%. A study of the ectopa ras i tes recove red revea led repre sentatives of 18 fami lies and 31 species of mites , 1 fami ly and species of tick, 1 fami1y and 2 species of lice , and 2 families and 3 species of fleas . The number of ectoparas ites recove red from hosts captured alive and dead were compared, and showed a higher yield of most ectoparas ite groups from hosts captured al ive. The effects of host body size and behavior are correlated with ectoparas ite yields. The groups of ectoparas ites and their abundance are given by sex of the host, but no apparent di fferences between sexes were observed. ACKNOWLE DGMENTS I wish to thank my advisor, Dr. Richard C. Funk, fo r his inva lu able gu idance in research, ass istance in identif ication of specimens and in editing this paper. My thanks also go to Ors. Verne B. Kn i skern, Jaime A. Maya , Bi 11 T. Ridgeway and Garland T. Riegel , for their contri butions of time, materials, and ass i stance. Final ly I would 1 ike to extend to my parents my deepest respect and grati tude for their financial and moral support. i i TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ii LI ST 0 F TABLES iv INTRODUCTION LITERATURE REV IEW 2 MATERIALS AND METHODS 7 RESULTS . 11 DISCUSS ION 25 LITERATURE CITED 35 iii LIST OF TABLES Tab le The characters of the three age categories of Microtus och rogaster and Pe romyscus leucopus specimens .•.... 9 2 Arthropoda recovered from 50 Microtus ochrogaster in Coles County, Illinois 12 3 Arth ropoda recovered from 50 Pe romyscus leucopus in Coles Coun ty, Illinois 14 4 Arthropoda recovered from 11 Cryptot is parva in Coles County, 111 inois ... 17 5 A summa ry of the major ectoparas itic groups recovered from 50 Microtus ochrogaster in Coles Coun ty, Illi nois 18 6 A sunmary of the major ectoparas itic groups recove red from 50 Pe romyscus leucopus in Coles Coun ty, Illinois 19 7 Major ectoparasitic groups from 25 live captured and 25 dead captured Microtus ochrogaster in Co les County , 111 inois . 20 8 Major ectoparas itic groups from 25 live captured and 25 dead captured Pe romyscus leucopus in Coles County, Illino is 21 9 Major ectoparasitic groups from three age categories of Microtus ochrogaster in Coles County, Illinois ....•.. 22 10 Major ectoparas itic groups from th ree age categories of Peromyscus .leucopus in Coles County, I 11 i nois . • 23 11 Majo r ectoparas itic groups from males and females of Microtus och rogaster and Pe romys cus leucopus in Coles Coun ty, 111 inois ..... 24 iv INTRODUCT ION Arthropod ectoparasites of man and his domestic anima ls have been studied in great detail. In recent years there has been an increase in the study of arthropod groups associated with non-domest ic animals because of their importance as vectors and rese rvoi rs of diseases, as we ll as their natural importance as living organ i sms. Surveys of the ectoparasites of vertebrate groups have revealed an abundance of informat ion on the bio logy of both ectoparasites and hosts involved . The present survey has intended primarily to iden tify and tabu l ate the ectoparasites of Peromyscus leucopus novebora censis (Fisher) , Microtus och rogaster. ochrogaster (Wagner) , and Cryptotis parva harlani (Say) . Secondarily, ectoparasitic yields of these hosts were stud ied in regard to age and sex of the host and condi tion of hos t when trapped (live versus dead) . 2 LITERATURE REVIEW In review ing the literature for a survey of ectoparasites it is necessa ry to consider the two approaches used by di fferent authors, one emphasizing the parasite group and the other the hosts . The lxodidae attracted 1 i ttle attention unti 1 in 1889-1890 when Smith and Kilborne (Bequae rt , 1945) showed that they played an essen tial ro le in the transmiss ion of Texas or Southern Cattle feve r. Ticks are one of the most important groups of arthropods concerned in disease transmission to man and an imals, and th is fact alone has attracted much attention to th is group (Phi 1 ip, 1963) . The ixodids of North America did not gain recognit ion until the beginning of the twentieth century when many workers presented valuable information on classi fication, host relationships and seasonal history (Banks, 1908; Bishopp, 1911; Hunter and Bishopp, 1911; Hooker, Bishopp and Wood , 1912) . The study of the disease Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever has also stimulated the study of ticks in North America (Morgan, 1899; Maver, 1911; Dye r, Badg�r and Rumreich , 1931; Parker, Philip and Jellison , 1933) . The co llect ing of ticks from hosts has been conducted throughout the United States. A few ea rly surveys were conducted nation-w ide (Hunter and Bishopp , 1911; Hooker, Bishopp and Wood, 1912) , howeve r, most are regional in cove rage. In Massachusetts, Larrousse , King, and Wolback (1928) found Pe romyscus leucopus tq serve as a host of Derma cen tor variabi 1 is. MacCreary 's studies (1940, 1945) have shown Microtus pennsylvanicus to be the preferred host of Dermacentor variabilis in 3 Delaware. The ticks of Rhode Island were surveyed by Hyland and Mathewson (1961) . The studies of ixodids in Illinois have been limited primarily to investigations on the vector of Rocky Mounta in Spotted Feve r and its distribution (Bishopp and Smith, 1938; Bishopp and Tremb ley, 1945; Smi th, Cole and Gouck, 1946) . Ecke and Yeatte r (1956) have sur- veyed the parasites of the cottonta il rabbits of Illinois and recorded the tick lxodes dentatus . The rate of Dermacentor va riabil is attachment to white-tailed dee r of Pope County , Illinois has been investigated by Montgomery (1968) . The Anoplura have long been neglected, for as late as 19 10 no critica l, compara tive study of the group had been made. The North Ame rican anop lurans have been dealt wi th primarily by two authors (Kellogg, 1914; Kellogg and Ferris, 19 15; Fe rri s, 1916 , 1951) . Amer- ican anopluran hos t lists have been given by Kel logg (1914) and by Kel logg and Ferris (1915) . The distribution of 1 ice on American rodents has been presented by Jellison (1942) . Cook and Beer (1955, 1958) compiled a list of the louse popul ations of cricetid rodents of northern Minnesota , and Microtus and Peromyscus specimens of southern Minnesota .