title: Parasitic and phoretic arthropods of the elephant-eared and the Santa Cruz kangaroo rats.
abstract: The parasitic and phoretic arthropods 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 had 11 and nine arthropod species, respectively. Larval and nymphal stages of the tick Dermacentor occidentalis were the most prevalent parasite (77%) on D. elephantinus whereas the mesostigmatid mite Androlaelaps fahrenholzi was the most prevalent (56%) on D. 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Fitchburg State College, Massachusetts 01420.
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Best
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lydeard
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001181:Arthropods / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D003870:Dermacentor / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004173:Dipodomys / Q000469:parasitology*; D004478:Ectoparasitic Infestations / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008924:Mite Infestations / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary; D008925:Mites / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013984:Tick Infestations / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary