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Ectoparasites of some rodents from the edge of the Western Desert near Alexandria, Egypt

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 September 2011

I. A. Gaaboub ,
A. H. Donia ,
N. L. Kelada  and
M. E. H. Abdelkarim
I. A. Gaaboub
Affiliation:
Entomology Division, Plant Protection Department, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt
A. H. Donia
Affiliation:
Entomology Division, Plant Protection Department, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt
N. L. Kelada
Affiliation:
Entomology Division, Plant Protection Department, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt
M. E. H. Abdelkarim
Affiliation:
Entomology Division, Plant Protection Department, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt
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Abstract

Four species and subspecies of rats and mice (Rattus norvegicus, Arvicanthis niloticus niloticus, Mus musculus and R. r. frugivorus) were found associated with a new irrigated area, El-Galaa, about 55 km from the edge of the desert near Alexandria, Egypt. Ectoparasites recovered from these hosts were three species of fleas (the Oriental rat flea Xenopsylla cheopis Rothschild, the human flea Pulex irritans Linnaeus, and the cat flea Ctenocephalides felis felis Bouche). three species of sucking lice (Polyplax spinulosa Burmeister, Polyplax abyssinica Ferris, and Hoplopleura capitosa Johnson), and five species of mites (Ornithonyssus bacoti Hirst, Laelaps keegani, Dermanyssus spp., Haemolaelaps spp., and Echinolaelaps echidninus Berlese). Records showed that the lice were the most abundant ectoparasites (39.03%) recovered from their rodent hosts, followed by the mite species (36.82%) and finally the fleas (24.1%). Lice in general and fleas (especially X. cheopis) showed a certain degree of host specificity as compared to other ectoparasites. A close correlation has been shown to exist between the incidence of flea and lice species (but not the mite species) and the incidence of some rodents.

Keywords

Small rodentsectoparasitesXenopsylla cheopisPulex irritansCtenocephalides felis felisPolyplax spinulosaPolyplax abyssinicaHoplopleura capitosaOrnithonyssus bacotiLaelaps keeganiDermanyssus spp.Haemolaelaps spp.rodent/flea index
Type
Research Articles
Information
International Journal of Tropical Insect Science , Volume 3 , Issue 2-3 , September 1982 , pp. 145 - 150
Copyright
Copyright © ICIPE 1982

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