Parasitic and Phoretic Arthropods of the Elephant-Eared and the Santa Cruz Kangaroo Rats Author(s): Howard H. Thomas, Troy L. Best, and Charles Lydeard Source: Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 27(2):358-360. Published By: Wildlife Disease Association DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7589/0090-3558-27.2.358 URL: http://www.bioone.org/doi/full/10.7589/0090-3558-27.2.358

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of Wildlife

Journal

Diseases,

27(2), Disease

C Wildlife

Parasitic

and Phoretic

Elephant-Eared

Arthropods

and the Santa

of the Cruz

Howard H. Thomas,1 Troy L Best,2 and Charles Fitchburg, Massachusetts 01420, USA; 2Department University, Alabama 36849, USA

The

ABSTRACT:

parasitic

and

phoretic

Kangaroo

had

11

respectively.

and

Larval

Dermacentor

tick

nine and

arthropod

nymphal

‘Department

of Zoology

and

arthro-

species

of

the

host

were the most on D. elephantinus mite Androlaelaps prevalent (56%) on D.

parasite (77%) the mesostigmatid fahrenholzi was the most venustus. The arthropod fauna of these two closely related rodents were similar with seven of the 14 arthropod species occurring on both host species. Two species of the host specific listrophorid mite of the genus Geomylichus were found on both hosts. Key words: Parasitic arthropods, phoretic arthropods, kangaroo rats, ticks, mites, Dipodomys elephantinus, Dipodomys venustus, survey.

and

Little is known regarding phoretic arthropods of

eared tinus)

kangaroo and the

(D. venustus)

of the field collections et al. (1988) reported

These

herein, species

jellisoni (1984) et a!., thropods

(1978), Prior

1991). (1991) one

species

listed of

five tick,

The

to (1)

pur-

present

fur-

1984

the

following

N Pinnacles,

Santa

San

Benito

36#{176}29’N, 1200W of D. venustus from

History

Reservation,

22.4

Valley, Monterey County 36#{176}26’N, 121#{176}42’W; and 11

of D. venustus Cruz County

from 1.9 km (approximately

SE

36#{176}59’N, 122#{176}01’W). Host

specimens

were

collected in Sherman live back kill traps. Rodents

and Victor collected

snapalive,

parasites,

were

along

with

placed using placed

two

ture kill per

their

in individual chloroform. in individual

external

paper bags Snap-trapped paper bags

site and also exposed the arthropods. Both bag were examined

and killed hosts were at the cap-

to chloroform to the host and paand arthropods

were collected using a dissecting microscope then placed in 70% isopropy! alcohol. Subsequently, the alcohol was removed and replaced with Nesbitt’s acid

Fain of as-

species

km

Natural

specimens Felton,

fuchsin

from both tick Ixodes

and

1.6

Hastings

the stain mounted

reported by Furman and Loomis and flea Meningis cummingi (Eads 1987) were the only parasitic arreported from D. elephantinus

(Whitaker, Whitaker chiggers,

also was reported to this record, the

Fitchburg State College, Funchess Hall, Auburn

D. venustus. were

(approximately one specimen

km SE Carme! (approximately

tigmatid mite (Geomylichus califonnicus) that was collected from both host species. In addition, G. texanus described by Fain et a!. hosts.

from

County 11’W);

species inhabit the San Francisco and (USA). As a result reported a new

from

study

species. During 13 to 22 June

nus

the parasitic the elephant-

1991).

endemic between California

of our

331

host specimens were collected in California (USA): 14 specimens of D. elephanti-

rat (Dipodomys elephanSanta Cruz kangaroo rat (Whitaker,

closely related coastal ranges Los Angeles,

Science,

ther information on the arthropod fauna for these two species of kangaroo rats and (2) determine similarities of the arthropod faunas between these two closely related

occidentalis

prevalent whereas

of Biology,

Wildlife

of fleas

poses

species, stages

Rats

Lydeard,2

pods of the elephant-eared kangaroo rat (Dipodomys elephantinus) and Santa Cruz kangaroo rat (D. venustus) are reported; most of these represent new host records. Thirteen of 14(93%) of D. elephantinus and 11 of 12 (92%) of D. venustus

1991, pp. 358-360 Association 1991

stain.

The

arthropods

for 7 to 14 days and on microscope slides

remained then using

in were Hoy-

er’s mounting medium. Hosts were preserved as standard museum specimens and deposited in the University of New Mexico Museum of Southwestern Biology (Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, USA); accession numbers TLB 10123-10126, 10129,

of seven

10149-10156 358

for D. elephantinus;

10292,

SHORT

1.

TABLE

elephantlnus

of Dipodomys

Arthropods

and

D.

Numher

Arthropods

COMMUNICA11ONS

359

D. venustus.

elephantinus

D. venustus

Prevalence’

Intensity

Numher

Prevalence

Intensityb

SIPHONAPTERA Hystrichopsyllidae

Meringls

cummingi

male

7

1.8 ± 0.3

31%

4

1.3 ±

0.3

33%

female

3

1.0

23%

5

1.6

±

0.3

44%

13

4.3

±

1.2

27%

±

0.0

ANOPLURA Hoplopleuridae

(larvae)

1

1.0

8%

ACARINA Ixodidae Dermacentor

occidentalls

Larvae

45

7.5

±

4.5

46%

Nymph

13

1.9

± 0.7

54%

Ixodes

pacificus

nymph

1

1.0

3

1.5 ± 0.5

18%

4.6 ±

9%

Ameroseiidae

Sertitympanum

contiguum

21

10.5

± 9.6

15%

Trombiculidae Euschoengastla

decipiens

3

3.0

8%

Listrophoridae

californicus

Geomylichus G. texanus

6

2.0 ± 0.6

23%

23

15

3.8 ±

2.5

39%

3

11

5.5

4.6

15%

2.2

46%

1.5 ± 0.5

18%

5.4

55%

Laelapidae

Androlaelaps Eubrachylaelaps

fahrenholzi

Ischyropoda

sp.

incomptls

E. triacanthus Number Mean

of

individual

intensity

±

parasites

6

2.9

6

2.0 ±

2

2.0

±

2.0

23%

1.0

23%

a maximum

covered from 13 of D. elephantinus

exception thropods resent

of

9%

1

1.0

9%

14

(93%)

(Table

1).

individuals There was

and

Whitaker,

of Meningis found on D. new host records.

all

of the

a new re-

both hosts. unidentified trombiculid piens and

(El-

tniacanthus

contiguum

state

having

record from

cummingi,

The

report

represents been previously

D. califonnicus

in Oregon

arrepof Sen-

Nine

of five

on

a single

species

arthropod similar 14 (50%)

faunas of prevalences, arthropods

11

the were

of

of 12 (Table with

host.

the exception of Denrnacenton talis, Geomylichus californicus, anus, and Meningis cummingi, thropods reported from D. represent new host records. The exhibited

elephantinus

1985).

arthropods were collected from (92%) individuals of D. venustus 1). There were 2.4 ± 0.3 species/host

0.4 species/host with a maximum species on a single host. With the

titympanum

ported

1.0

collected.

the U.S. National Parasite Collection, Bethesda, Maryland 20708, USA; accession numbers 81370-81382. Eleven Species of arthropods were re-

±

9%

1

SE.

sen

six

1.0

8%

10312-10315, 10327-10329, 10336-10339 for D. venustus). Representative specimens of the arthropods recovered from both hosts in this study are deposited in

2.7

4.0

±

1

(%).

Prevalence

of

27

armatus

Echinonyssus E.

±

circularls

With

occidenG. texthe arvenustus

two and found

hosts seven on

Three species of parasites, an larval hoplopleurid louse, the mite Euschoengastia decithe laelapid mite Echinonyssus were recovered from D. ele-

360

JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE DISEASES, VOL. 27, NO. 2, APRIL 1991

phantinus,

but

versely, two

not

three

(21%)

cularis

lae!apid and

Ischyropoda

tick

Ixodes

pacificus

from

D.

cated

mites

mite

there

be the

the

rodent

genus

cies ship

of

supports between We thank

collect

on

tings

Natural

his

firmed

History

Reserve

J.

E.

at the for

spe-

Department

of

0.

and

W.

and

Fish

a collecting Whitaker, Jr., of mites,

and

permit. and A.

Wrenn fleas,

to

Has-

granting

specimens,

Lewis,

specimens

was

host

us to collect

providing

gers, respectively. various copies ect

anna:

and

conchig-

Melissa J. Barrette typed of the manuscript. This proj-

supported,

in

part,

by

a Profes-

Mesostigmata)

United species FAIN,

A.,

J.

CITED C. 0.

AND

taken

States:

Including

in

genus.

0.

State

1987.

MAUPIN.

(Siphonaptera: Medical Ento-

J. 0. WHITAKER, JR. 1985. a new genus of Ameroseiidae

AND

tympanum,

cali-

on both

P.,

ELSEN,

the

Geomylichus

both

personnel

California

R.

link

Heteromyidae

ranch,

for

Game for Additionally, Fain,

that

Therefore,

Fitchburg

article number Agricultural

A review of the genus Meringis Hystrichopsyllidae). Journal of mology 24: 467-476.

!istroand

a close taxonomic relationthe two host species. H. Bacon for permission

permission the

family

G. texanus

and

the

coevolutionary

Geomylichus.

co-occurrence

fornicus

of

R. B., E. G. CAMPOS,

EADS,

host

Geomylichus

Grant,

This is journal of the Alabama Station. LITERATURE

indi-

considerable

a strong

the

Development

College. 15.892335 Experiment

only

(1990)

species

genus

may

between and

was

among

phorid

cir-

recovered

Whitaker

there

specificity

by and

armatus)

were

siona!

Con-

represented

(Eubrachylaelaps

venustus.

that

D. venustus.

from

species

the

from

Acarologia JR.,

G.

in

of three 26:

T.

(Ac-

rodents

descriptions

WHITAKER,

Sertithe

new

117-122.

SCHWAN,

AND

F. S. LUKOSCHUS. 1978. Notes on the genus Geomyllchus Fain, 1970 (Astigmata, Listrophoridae) and description of six new species. International Journal of Acarology 4: 101-114. AND

new

species

of

H.

H.

Geomylichus

THOMAS.

Fain,

1988. 1970

Listrophoridae) national Journal

Two (Acari,

from California, U.S.A. Interof Acarology 14: 121-125. FURMAN, D. P., AND E. C. LooMIs. 1984. The ticks of California (Acari: Ixodida). Bulletin of the California Insect Survey 25: 1-239. WHITAKER, J. 0., JR. 1991. Parasites of heteromyids. In Biology of the Heteromyidae, H. H. Genoways and J. H. Brown (eds.). Special Publication, American Society of Mammalogists. In press. Received for publIcation 12 December

1988.