Seasonality of the ectoparasite community of woodland rodents in a Mazurian Forest, Poland.
Myodes glareolus and Apodemus flavicollis support a large and diverse community of arthropod ectoparasites. This study of rodents in a Mazurian woodland sampled at monthly intervals between 2007 and 2009 revealed an ectoparasite community composed of 2 species of tick, 1 louse, 9 flea species, 7 species of gamasid mites, 4 fur mites and one trombiculid mite. A strong seasonality was noted in the dynamics of the ectoparasite community, with the fur mite Listrophorus sp. and the hypopus larva of a glycyphagid mite especially common in winter. Several of the ectoparasites have the potential to be pathogenic; the impact of these organisms on the population dynamics of their hosts remains to be investigated.
Harris
Philip D
PD
National Centre for Biosystematics, Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1172, Blindern, Oslo, Norway. p.d.harris@nhm.uio.no
Paziewska
Anna
A
Zwolińska
Lucyna
L
Siński
Edward
E
D000818:Animals; D001181:Arthropods / Q000145:classification* / Q000502:physiology*; D003411:Arvicolinae / Q000469:parasitology*; D004478:Ectoparasitic Infestations / Q000662:veterinary*; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D051379:Mice / Q000469:parasitology*; D008925:Mites / Q000145:classification / Q000502:physiology; D011044:Poland; D012621:Seasons; D005423:Siphonaptera / Q000145:classification / Q000502:physiology; D013987:Ticks / Q000145:classification / Q000502:physiology; D014197:Trees / Q000469:parasitology*