Abstract
We compared the ectoparasite fauna of 89 wild red-legged partridges (Alectoris rufa) from four hunting estates and 25 farm-reared partridges from three farms. We found 62% of the wild but only 20% of the farmed partridges harboured ectoparasites. On the wild partridges, one hippoboscid fly species (Ornithophila metallica, 2%), two tick species (Ixodes frontalis, 2%; Hyalomma sp., 17%) and eight louse species were found (Menacanthus lyali, 3%; M. numidae, 3%; Menopon pallens, 21%; Myrsidea picae, 1%; Goniocotes obscurus, 17%; G. simillimus, 1%; Goniodes dispar, 35%; Cuclotogaster obscurior, 28%). Only two louse species (G. obscurus, 8%; C. obscurior, 20%) were found on farmed partridges. Lice prevalence, abundance and species richness were higher in wild birds (44%, 17.0, 1.1) than in farmed partridges (20%, 1.3, 0.3). Lice prevalence and abundance were higher in dead-found (54%, 21.6) than in shot (23%, 2.3) or live-trapped wild partridges (no lice). Tick prevalence and abundance was higher in live-trapped (100%, 1.14) than in dead-found (13%, 0.5) or shot partridges (7%, 0.1). In dead-found partridges, the total louse prevalence and abundance, the number of louse species and the abundance of G. dispar, G. obscurus, C. obscurior and M. pallens were negatively correlated with partridge body condition; and this correlation for G. dispar abundance was more pronounced in juveniles than in adult partridges. Since juvenile individuals were also more parasitised by C. obscurior and Hyalomma sp., an acquired immunity against arthropods seems to be relevant. Released partridges are not a source of new ectoparasites, but these birds may come into contact with many arthropod species with which they had no previous contact.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aguirre JM (1982) Contribución al estudio de los Phthiraptera (Mallophaga y Anoplura) de animales domésticos españoles. Universidad de León, León
Aguirre JM (1983) Diferencias entre Cuclotogaster heterographus, malófago propio de la gallina, y Cuclotogaster obscurior de la perdiz. Hyg Pecoris 8:15–31
Alexander J, Stimson WH (1988) Sex hormones and the course of parasitic infection. Parasitol Today 4:89–193
Arends A (1997) External parasites and poultry pests. In: Calnek BW (ed) Diseases of poultry, 10th edn. Iowa State University Press, Ames, pp 785–813
Belgstrand JL, Klimstra WD (1964) Ectoparasites of the bobwhite quail in Southern Illinois. Am Midl Nat 72:490–498
Blanco G, De la Puente J, Corroto M, Baz A, Colás J (2001) Condition-dependent immune defence in the magpie: how important is ectoparasitism? Biol J Linn Soc 72:279–286
Booth DT, Clayton DH, Block BA (1993) Experimental demonstration of the energetic cost of parasitism in free-ranging hosts. Proc R Soc Lond Ser B 253:125–129
Burridge MJ, Simmons LA (2003) Exotic ticks introduced into the United States on imported reptiles from 1962 to 2001 and their potential roles in international dissemination of diseases. Vet Parasitol 113:289–320
Calvete C, Estrada R, Lucientes J, Estrada A (2003) Ectoparasite ticks and chewing lice of red-legged partridge, Alectoris rufa, in Spain. Med Vet Entomol 17:33–37
Cardona CJ, Ihejirika A, McClellan L (2002) Haemoproteus lophortyx infection in bobwhite quail. Avian Dis 46:249–255
Clay T (1938) A revision of the genera and species of Mallophaga occurring on gallinaceous hosts—Part I. Lipeurus and related genera. Proc Zool Soc Lond 108:109–204
Clay T (1939) Genera and species of Mallophaga occurring on gallinaceous hosts—Part II. Goniodes. Proc Zool Soc Lond 110:86–90
Clayton DH, Tompkins DM (1994) Ectoparasite virulence is linked to mode of transmission Proc R Soc Lond Ser B 256:211–217
Clayton DH, Tompkins DM (1995) Comparative effects of mites and lice on the reproductive success of rock doves (Columba livia) Parasitology 110:195–206
Cordero del Campillo M, Rojo FA (1999) Parasitología veterinaria. McGraw–Hill–Interamericana, Madrid, Spain
Cordero del Campillo M, Castañón L, Reguera A (1994) Índice-catálogo de zooparásitos ibéricos. Universidad de León, León
Cutillas C, Guevara DC, Úbeda JM, Soler MD (1981) Estudio de Goniodes dispar (Burmeister, 1838) (Mallophaga) encontrado sobre Alectoris rufa L. en la provincia de Granada. Rev Iber Parasitol 41:185–193
Cutillas C, Guevara DC, Úbeda JM, Soler MD (1982) Estudio de Menacanthus numidae (Giebel, 1874) (Mallophaga) encontrado sobre Alectoris rufa L. en la provincia de Granada. Rev Iber Parasitol 42:53–62
Darolova A, Hoi H, Kristofik J, Hoi C (2001) Horizontal and vertical ectoparasite transmission of three species of Mallophaga, and individual variation in European bee-eaters (Merops apiaster). J Parasitol 87:256–262
Draycott RAH, Parish DMB, Woodburn MIA, Carroll JP (2000) Spring survey of the parasite Heterakis gallinarum in wild pheasants in Britain. Vet Rec 147:245–246
Durden (2000) Lice (Phthiraptera). In: Mullen M, Durden L (eds) Medical and veterinary entomology. Academic Press, San Diego, pp 45–68
Erbeck DH, Num SA (1999) Chlamydiosis in pen-raised bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus) and chukar partridge (Alectoris chukar) with high mortality. Avian Dis 43:798–803
Estrada A (1994) Las garrapatas de España: introduccion. Junta de Castilla y León, Valladolid
Eveleigh ES, Threlfall W (1976) Population dynamics of lice (Mallophaga) on auks (Alcidae) from Newfoundland. Can J Zool 54:1694–1711
Fernández de Mera IG, Gortazar C, Vicente J, Höfle U, Fierro Y (2003) Wild boar helminths: risks in animal translocations. Vet Parasitol 115:335–341
García-Berthou E (2001) On the misuse of residuals in ecology: testing regression residuals vs the analysis of covariance. J Anim Ecol 70:708–711
Gortazar C, Villafuerte R, Escudero MA, Marco J (2002) Post-breeding densities of the red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa) in agrosystems: a large-scale study in Aragón, Northeastern Spain. Z Jagdwiss 48:94–101
Guevara D, Cutillas C, Soler MD, Ubeda JM (1981) Cuclotogaster heterographus (Nitzsch, 1866) parasito de Alectoris rufa L. Rev Iber Parasitol 41:203–211
Hall RD, Gerhardt RR (2000) Flies (Diptera). In: Mullen M, Durden L (eds) Medical and veterinary entomology. Academic Press, San Diego, pp 45–68
Haz P, Álvarez F, Freire M, Bárcena F, Sanmartín M (2001) Effects of restocking rabbits on the helminth fauna of wild rabbit populations in the northwest Iberian Peninsula. Acta Parasitol 46:306–312
Hudson P, Gould E, Laurenson K, Gaunt M, Reid H, Jones L, Norman R, Newborn D, MacGuire K (1997) The epidemiology of louping-ill, a tick borne infection of red grouse (Lagopus lagopus scoticus). Parassitologia 39:319–323
Jansson D, Brojer C, Gavier-Widen D, Gunnarsson A, Fellstrom C (2001) Brachyspira spp (Serpulina spp) in birds: a review and results from a study of Swedish game birds. Anim Health Res Rev 2:93–100
Keller S (1937) Ein Beitrag zur Kentnis der Mallophagen des Rebhuhnes (Perdiz perdix Linn). Arb Morph Taxon Entomol Berlin-Dahlem 2:126–133
Kose M, Møller AP (1999) Sexual selection, feather breakage and parasites: the importance of white spots in the tail of the barn swallow (Hirundo rustica). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 45:430–436
Little RC, Milliken GA, Stroup WW, Wolfinger RD (1996) SAS system for mixed models. SAS Institute, Cary
Lloyd JE (2000) Louse flies, keds, and related flies (Hippoboscidea). In: Mullen M, Durden L (eds) Medical and veterinary entomology. Academic Press, San Diego, pp 349–364
Lochmiller RL, Vestey MR, Boren JC (1993) Relationship between protein nutritional-status and immunocompetence in northern bobwhite chicks. Auk 110:503–510
Maa YC (1963) Genera and species of Hippoboscidae (Diptera): types, synonymy, habitats and natural groupings. Pac Insects Monogr 6:1–186
MacCullagh, P, Nelder JA (1989) Generalised linear modeling. Chapman and Hall, New York
Manilla G (1998) Acari Ixodida. Fauna d’Italia, vol XXXVI. Edizioni Calderini, Bologna
Martínez F, Hernández S, Becerra C, Domínguez de Tena M (1981) Mallophaga de aves Phaisianidae en la provincia de Cordoba. Rev Iber Parasitol 41:409–422
Millán J, Gortazar C, Villafuerte R (2004) A comparison of the helminth faunas of wild and farm-reared red-legged partridges. J Wildl Manage (in press)
Møller AP, Lope F de (1999) Senescence in a short-lived migratory bird: age-dependent morphology, migration, reproduction and parasitism. J Anim Ecol 68:163–171
Møller AP, Christe P, Erritzoe J, Meller AP (1998a) Condition, disease and immune defence. Oikos 83:301–306
Møller AP, Sorci G, Erritzoe J (1998b) Sexual dimorphism in immune defense. Am Nat 152:605–619
Newton I (1998) Population limitation in birds. Academic Press, London
Ramli R, Cusack M, Curry GB, Furness RW (2000) Morphological variation of chewing lice (Insecta : Phthiraptera) from different skua taxa. Biol J Linn Soc 71:91–101
Rodríguez F, Jiménez A, Martín-Mateo MP (1979) Primer hallazgo y descripción del macho de Goniocotes obscurus Giebel, 1874 (Mallophaga: Insecta). Rev Iber Parasitol 39:65–72
Rodríguez F, Jiménez A, Criado A (1983) A new species of Menacanths Neumann, 1912 (Mallophaga: Menoponidae) from the partridge. Nouv Rev Ent 13:337–343
Ruff MD (1999) Important parasites in poultry production systems. Vet Parasitol 84:337–347
Sáenz de Buruaga M, Lucio A, Purroy FJ (2001) Reconocimiento de sexo y edad en especies cinegéticas. Edilesa, León
Sonenshine E, Lane RS, Nicholson WL (2000) Ticks (Ixodida). In: Mullen M, Durden L (eds) Medical and veterinary entomology. Academic Press, San Diego, pp 518–559
Spalding MG, Kinsella JM, Nesbitt SA, Folk MJ, Foster GW (1996) Helminth and arthropod parasites of experimentally introduced whooping cranes in Florida. J Wildl Dis 32:44–50
Tendeiro J (1955) Estudos sobre uma colecçao de malófagos de aves. Bol Cultur Guiné Port 35:509–513
Wilson K, Grenfell BT (1997) Generalized linear modelling for parasitologists. Parasitol Today 13:33–38
Wilson K, Bjornstad ON, Dobson AP, Merler S, Poglayen G, Randolph SE, Read AF, Skorping A (2002) Heterogeneities in macroparasite infections: patterns and processes. In Hudson PJ, Rizzoli A, Grenfell BT, Heesterbeek H, Dobson AP (eds) The ecology of wildlife diseases. Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp 6–44
Acknowledgements
This is a contribution to CICYT PB1-02-004, to FEDER-UE 1FD1997-2299 and to a joint project by CSIC/Principado de Asturias. We wish to thank A. Peña, J.A. Ortiz, E. Álvarez, A. de Miguel and J. Marcos (Gobierno del Principado de Asturias). We are very grateful to A.L. García-Pérez and J. Lucientes for assisting us with the identification of some of the ectoparasite species. J.A. Blanco-Aguiar exchanged statistical advice for coffee and P. Copley kindly improved the English.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Millán, J., Gortazar, C., Martín-Mateo, M.P. et al. Comparative survey of the ectoparasite fauna of wild and farm-reared red-legged partridges (Alectoris rufa), with an ecological study in wild populations. Parasitol Res 93, 79–85 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-004-1113-9
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-004-1113-9