Abstract
The aim of this study was to identify the aggregation sites and transmission characteristics of Gasterophilus pecorum, the dominant pathogen of endangered equines in desert steppe. Therefore, we tested with a four-arm olfactometer the olfactory response of the G. pecorum adults to the odors that have a great impact on their life cycle, and also investigated the occurrence sites of the adults in the area where the Przewalski’s horse (Equus przewalskii) roam frequently during the peak period of G. pecorum infection. The results of four-directional olfactory test showed that the fresh horse feces had a stronger attraction rate on both male (50.4%) and female flies (38.2%). Stipa caucasica, the only oviposition plant where G. pecorum lay eggs, had a better attraction effect on females than that on males. And the attraction rates of S. caucasica to G. pecorum females in the early growth stage (Stipa I) and mid-growth stage (Stipa II) were 32.8% and 36.8%, respectively. In addition, the two-directional olfactory test showed that the attraction rate of males to fresh horse feces (68.90%) was higher than that to Stipa II (31.10%), and females also showed similar olfactory responses. Moreover, in our field investigation, 68.29% of G. pecorum adults were collected from around the horse feces. The results of laboratory test and field investigation implied that the location mechanism of G. pecorum aggregation for mating is related to the orientation of horse feces. The horse feces and the vicinity are the key contamination areas of G. pecorum, and it is also the areas where horses are seriously infected with G. pecorum. Those fresh feces, which gather abundant information about the host, naturally had the greatest chance of contacting with the host; G. pecorum adults create the opportunity to enter directly into the host’s mouth and infect the host by laying eggs on S. caucasica, which is the most favorite plant of the host in this area. These characteristics are one of the main reasons why G. pecorum has become the dominant species under the condition of sparse vegetation in desert steppe.
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Abbreviations
- KNR:
-
Kalamaili Ungulate Nature Reserve
- CK:
-
Control check
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Acknowledgements
We are grateful to the staff of the Kalamaili Ungulate Nature Reserve for their support and valuable technical assistance.
Funding
This work was supported by the National Science Foundation of China (No. 31670538), the Species Project (No. 2018123) of Department for Wildlife and Forest Plants Protection, NFGA of China, and the Forestry Fund of LiBin (01210823).
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K. L. and K. Z. conceived the study; K. Z., R. Z., and H. Q. H. conducted the experiment; K. Z., W. M., Y. J. Q., and B. L. L. carried out the statistics; K. Z. drafted the manuscript; D. Z., K. L., and H. J. C revised the manuscript. All authors reviewed the manuscript and approved the final version.
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The sample collection and field investigation were approved by the management department of Kalamaili Ungulate Nature Reserve. The study was performed in accordance with the relevant guidelines and regulations regarding animal welfare. All experimental protocols were approved by the Ethic and Animal Welfare Committee, Beijing Forestry University (EAWC-BJFU-2018015).
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Zhang, K., Zhou, R., Huang, H. et al. Host feces, olfactory beacon guiding aggregation of intestinal parasites Gasterophilus pecorum (Diptera: Gasterophilidae). Parasitol Res 121, 2601–2613 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-022-07577-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-022-07577-6