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Chewing lice of wild birds from Portugal: neglected group of ectoparasites

Authors:
André Tomás at University of Lisbon
André Tomás
Ricardo Palma at Museum of New Zealand, Te Papa Tongarewa
Ricardo Palma
Maria Teresa Rebelo at University of Lisbon
Maria Teresa Rebelo
Isabel Pereira Da Fonseca at Technical University of Lisbon
Isabel Pereira Da Fonseca
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Abstract

Background: Chewing lice are permanent, obligate and host-specific ectoparasites commonly found on birds. Although chewing lice are relatively benign parasites, when present in large numbers they can cause changes in flight performance, thermoregulatory capacity, body mass and survival of the birds. According to BirdLife International approximately 310 species of birds occur in Portugal. However, the number of louse species documented is very limited. This study was carried out to determine chewing louse species of wild birds from Portugal. Methods: This study involves birds captured in mist-nets during the scientific ringing sessions and birds admitted at the Wildlife Rehabilitation and Investigation Centre of Ria Formosa. Chewing lice were collected using two methods: 1) visual search and collect for chewing lice in the plumage of each bird, during approximately 2 minutes; 2) fumigation chamber method, where birds are exposed to ethyl acetate for 15 minutes. Phthiraptera species were slide-mounted according to the Canada Balsam technique and identified. Results: Chewing lice were found on 43 (21.9%) of the 196 specimens of wild birds examined, independently of the method applied. One hundred and twenty-two birds were only visually examined, with 26 (21.3%) being parasitized. While for the fumigation method, 74 birds were examined, with 17 (22.9%) infested. Infested birds comprise 12 species and the chewing lice identified belong to suborders Amblycera (14 species) and Ischnocera (7 species).
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1Center for Environmental and Marine Studies/Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of Sciences of University of Lisbon, Campo Grande 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal
2 Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, P.O. Box 467, Wellington 6011, New Zealand
3CIISA - Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, Av. Universidade Técnica, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal
Chewing lice of wild birds from Portugal:
neglected group of ectoparasites
André Tomás1*, Ricardo Palma2, Maria Teresa Rebelo1, Isabel Pereira da Fonseca3
Chewing lice (Phthiraptera: Ischnocera and Amblycera) are permanent, obligate
and host-specific ectoparasites commonly found on birds. The lice transmission
occurs by direct contact among birds, or in some cases by phoretic association
with hippoboscidae fly [1].
Although chewing lice are relatively benign parasites, when present in large
numbers, they can cause changes in flight performance, thermoregulatory
capacity, body mass, survival and sexual selection of the birds [2-4].
According to BirdLife International approximately 310 species of birds occur in
Portugal. However, the number of louse species documented is very limited [5].
So, this study was carried out to determine chewing louse species of wild birds
from Portugal.
Background
This work recorded 21 louse species, belong to suborders Amblycera (14
species) and Ischnocera (7 species), in Portugal. Chewing lice were found on 43
(21.94%) of the 196 specimens (36 species) of wild birds examined,
independently of the method applied.
Results
Table
1: Distribution of lice species according to their host bird species
n
Host
scientific names
Louse
species
Ni
Visually
1
Anas
crecca
Trinoton
querquedulae (Linnaeus, 1758)
1
searched
1
Aquila
fasciata
Degeeriella
fulva (Giebel, 1874)
1
2
Bubo
bubo
Strigiphilus
sp. Mjöberg, 1910
1
2
Buteo
buteo
Degeeriella
fulva (Giebel, 1874)
1
Craspedorrhynchus
platystomus (Burmeister
, 1838)
1
Laemobothrion
(L.) maximum (Scopoli, 1763)
1
1
Fulica
atra
Pseudomenopon
pilosum (Scopoli, 1763)
1
6
Gyps
fulvus
Falcolipeurus
quadripustulatus (Burmeister, 1838)
6
Laemobothrion
(L.) vulturis (Fabricius [J.C.], 1775)
4
Nosopon
casteli Tendeiro, 1959
1
Colpocephalum
turbinatum Denny, 1842
3
14
Calidris
alpina
Actornithophilus
umbrinus (Burmeister, 1838)
3
Lunaceps
schismatus
Gustafsson and Olsson, 2012
2
Austromenopon
lutescens (Burmeister, 1838)
1
14
Larus
michahellis
Actornithophilus
piceus lari (Packard, 1870)
4
7
Morus
bassanus
Pectinopygus
bassani (Fabricious [O.], 1780)
5
Eidmanniella
pustulosa (Nitzsch [In Giebel], 1866)
4
2
Phoenicopterus
roseus
Colpocephalum
heterosoma Piaget, 1880
2
Trinoton
femoratum Piaget, 1880
1
Fumigation
32
Sylvia
atricapilla
Guimaraesiella
tovornikae (Balát, 1981)
2
chamber
33
Turdus
merula
Brueelia
sp. Kéler, 1936
15
Menacanthus
eurysternus (Burm., 1838)
1
n: number of birds examined; Ni: number of birds infested
References
[1] Johnson KP, Clayton DH (2003) The biology, ecology, and evolution of chewing lice. In: Price RD, Hellenthal RA, Palma RL, et al. (eds) Chewing lice World Checkl. Biol.
Overv. Illinois Natural History Survey Special Publication, Illinois, pp 449–476.
[2] Booth DT, Clayton DH, Block BA (1993) Experimental Demonstration of the Energetic Cost of Parasitism in Free-Ranging Hosts. Proc R Soc B Biol Sci 253:125–129.
[3] Kose M, Mänd R, Møller A (1999) Sexual selection for white tail spots in the barn swallow in relation to habitat choice by feather lice. Anim Behav 58:1201–1205.
[4] Clayton DH, Adams RJ, Bush SE (2008) Phthiraptera, the Chewing Lice. In: Thomas NJ, Hunter DB, Atkinson CT (eds) Parasit. Dis. Wild Birds, 1st Ed. Wiley-Blackwell,
Iowa, EUA, pp 515–526.
[5] BirdLife International (2018) Country profile: Portugal. http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/countryportugal. Accessed 25 Out2018.
•This is the more exhaustive contribution to knowledge of avian chewing lice associated with birds in Portugal.
•Even though all host-parasite associations have been previously reported in other studies, we record 20 species of chewing lice for the first time from wild birds in
Portugal.
•Our study showed that colonial birds were more significantly infested than territorial birds, i.e., the greater contact between colonial birds in colonies, during a
nesting season, facilitates the transmission of lice.
•Fumigation chamber can be consider the best method to sampling passeriformes birds.
•These findings contribute to the knowledge of avian chewing lice from important birds areas in Portugal.
Conclusion
A B C D E F
1 mm
1 mm
2 mm
1 mm
1 mm
1 mm
Figure 1. Examples of chewing lice identified in this work.
Amblycera specimens: A) Actornithophilus piceus lari, female; B) Colpocephalum heterosoma,
female; C) Trinoton femoratum, male. Ischnocera specimens: D) Pectinopygus bassani, female;
E) Falcolipeurus quadripustulatus, male; F) Craspedorrhynchus platystomus, female.
Contact information
For further details, please contact: A. Tomás, e-mail address: andre_tomas2@hotmail.com
Acknowledgments
Thanks are due for the financial support to CESAM (UID/AMB/50017 - POCI-01-0145-
FEDER-007638), to CIISA (UID/CVT/00276/2013), to FCT/MEC through national funds, and
the co-funding by the FEDER, within the PT2020 Partnership Agreement and Compete
2020.
Co-funding by:
One hundred and twenty-two birds were only
visually examined, with 26 (21.3%) being
parasitized. While for the fumigation chamber
method, 74 birds were examined, with 17
(22.97%) infested.
Visually searched Fumigation chamber
Figure 2. Prevalence (%) of chewing lice according two methods applied
Figure 3. Prevalence (%) of chewing lice found on wild birds, according to
age* and social behavior
*Birds with undetermined age (n=10) are not included in this statistical test
Age
Social
behaviour
0%10%20%30%40% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40%
Adult
Colonial
Young
Territorial
Prevalence of chewing lice was slightly higher in
young birds (23.53%) than in adults (17.91%),
but no significant differences were observed
(p>0.05).
Considering social behaviour, infestation rates of
colonial birds (34.92%) were significantly higher
than those of territorial birds (p<0.05).
Methodology
Data for this study were obtained from two fieldwork and sampling methods:
1st. Between September and December 2013, the plumage of each bird
admitted at the Wildlife Rehabilitation and Investigation Centre of Ria Formosa –
Association ALDEIA (RIAS/ALDEIA), and captured in mist-nets during scientific
ringing sessions performed in the Ria Formosa Natural Park (PNRF), was visually
searched for chewing lice, during approximately 2 minutes;
2nd. Between January and February 2018, Passeriformes birds were
captured during scientific ringing sessions performed in the PNRF
and exposed to ethyl acetate for 20 minutes, using fumigation
chamber method, to collect chewing lice.
Lice specimens collected were prepared and slide-mounted
according to the Canada Balsam technique and identified.
ResearchGate has not been able to resolve any citations for this publication.
Experimental Demonstration of the Energetic Cost of Parasitism in Free-Ranging Hosts
Article
Full-text available
  • Aug 1993
Although some parasites have obvious pathogenic effects, others appear to have subtle, indirect effects that are poorly understood, particularly in natural populations. Indirect effects may result from parasites altering host metabolic rate and hence host energy needs, yet no experimental studies have shown this to be the case for non-laboratory hosts. We report the results of a long-term field experiment designed to test the impact of parasites on host energetics. We measured the energetics of feral rock doves (Columba livia) with populations of feather-feeding lice, traditionally considered to have little or no effect on host fitness. The lice reduced feather mass leading to increased thermal conductance and metabolic rate, as well as a steady reduction in host body mass over the course of the nine-month study. Our results demonstrate that even classically `benign' parasites such as feather lice can reduce host condition through the accumulation of subtle energetic costs over time. We argue that experimental manipulations are a prerequisite for documenting such effects.
View
Phthiraptera, the Chewing Lice
Chapter
  • Mar 2009
IntroductionSynonymsHistoryHost Range and DistributionEtiologyEpizootiologyClinical Signs, Pathology, and PathogenesisDiagnosisHost Defense and ImmunityTreatment and ControlPublic Health ConcernsDomestic Animal Health ConcernsWildlife Population Impacts and Management ImplicationsLiterature Cited
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Biology, ecology, and evolution of chewing lice
Article
  • Jan 2003
Chewing lice are small, dorsoventrally compressed insects and are parasites of virtually all birds (Fig. 1) and some mammals (Fig. 2). Many chewing lice are host specific, being found on only a single species of host. All chewing lice are permanent ectoparasites and complete their entire life cycle on the body of the host, where they feed mainly on feathers, dead skin, blood, or secretions. Chewing lice on mammals apparently do not ingest hair, rather they feed on skin and skin products (Waterhouse 1953). Some species of lice feed on the eggs and molting stages of mites and other lice, including members of their own species (Nelson and Murray 1971). Lice also ingest microbes, such as bacteria and fungi, which are of unknown nutritive value.
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Sexual selection for white tail spots in the Barn Swallow in relation to habitat choice by feather lice
Article
  • Jan 2000
Many bird species have white spots in their tails or wing feathers, and such characters have been hypothesized to be either reliable signals (handicaps) or amplifiers that facilitate the message of a signal. In barn swallows, Hirundo rustica, the size of the white spots in the tail feathers is sexually dimorphic and positively correlated with feather length. We tested whether such spots act as handicaps or amplifiers. These white spots affect sexual selection in barn swallows, as shown by an experiment in which we randomly subjected males to (1) a considerable reduction of the size of all the spots by the use of a black permanent marker pen, (2) a small reduction of the size of the spots, or (3) no reduction. There was a positive association between spot size and the number of offspring produced per season. The white tail spots were preferred by feather-eating Mallophaga as a feeding site: holes made by Mallophaga were more abundant in the white spots than expected by chance. A habitat choice experiment with Mallophaga on barn swallow tail feathers revealed that they preferred white spots over black parts of the tail feathers. We therefore expected long-tailed male barn swallows to have more Mallophaga than short-tailed males. However, the opposite relationship was observed, indicating that long-tailed males may reliably signal their quality by the presence of large white tail spots without parasite damage. Thus white tail spots in barn swallows appear to be a reliable signal of phenotypic quality. Copyright 1999 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.
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