Sarcoptic manage in wildlife.

Sarcoptic manage caused by Sarcoptes scabiei is responsible for epizootic disease in populations of wild canids in North America, Europe and Australia, wild cats in Europe and Africa, wild ungulates and wild boars in Europe, wombats and koalas in Australia, and great apes and various wild bovids in Africa. Although short-term mortality may appear devastating, in a self-sustaining population, mortality is non-compensatory and a mange epizootic generally does not affect long-term population dynamics. Alternatively, the net effect of a mange epizootic can have serious consequences in remnant or fragmented populations of CITES-listed, threatened, or endangered species where loss of even a few individuals can be critical to the survival or restoration of a species (CITES: Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). The pathogenesis and concordant clinical symptoms of mange depends on the immune status of the respective host. Naïve, immunocompromised or anergic animals that are unable to evoke hypersensitivity responses develop an extensive epidermal hyperkeratosis usually without marked alopecia, but with an underlying chronic dermal inflammation and an abundance of mites in the skin. Immunocompetent hosts are able to develop strong types I and IV hypersensitivity responses that result in a marked decrease and eventual loss of mites in the skin. However, there are dramatic structural and functional changes in the skin; it becomes extensively thickened, greyish in colour and there is a marked eosinophilia throughout the epidermis and dermis. There is often almost complete alopecia. Isolation and treatment of infected individuals may be warranted, and has met with some success in small remaining populations of certain highly endangered species.

Trichinella infection in wildlife of the southwestern United States.

Several potential mammalian reservoirs of sylvatic species of Trichinella were examined from Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. During 1998-99, tongues were collected from a black bear (Ursus americanus) in Arizona; from 9 black bears, a coyote (Canis latrans), and a mountain lion (Felis concolor) in New Mexico; and from 154 coyotes, 32 raccoons (Procyon lotor), 13 opossums (Didelphis marsupialis), 4 ocelots (Leopardus pardalis), 3 bobcats (Lynx rufus), and 5 feral hogs (Sus scrofa) in southern Texas. Larvae of Trichinella murrelli were identified by a multiple-polymerase chain reaction analysis in 1 black bear (11.1%) from New Mexico and in 7 coyotes (4.5%) of Texas, whereas Trichinella spiralis larvae were detected in the black bear of Arizona. This is the first report of Trichinella infection in wildlife of New Mexico and Texas and extends the distribution of T. murrelli into the southwestern United States near the border of Mexico.

Sylvatic trichinellosis in Texas.

There are no published reports of domestic or sylvatic trichinellosis in Texas. The aim of the present survey was to determine the presence of Trichinella species in selected representative species of potential wildlife reservoirs in southern Texas. In 1998-99, tongues of 211 wild mammals were collected in southern Texas: 154 coyotes (Canis latrans), three bobcats (Lynx rufus), 32 racoons (Procyon lotor), 13 opossum (Didelphis marsupialis), four ocelots (Leopardus pardalis) and five wild boars (Sus scrofa). Presence of Trichinella sp. larvae was investigated by artificial digestion and larvae of positive samples were identified at the species level by a multiple-polymerase chain reaction analysis. Nine (5.8%) coyotes had trichinellosis; in the muscles of seven of these coyotes, the larvae were identified as Trichinella murrelli. This is the first report of sylvatic trichinellosis in Texas.

Epizootic podoknemidokoptiasis in American robins.

Epizootics of scaly leg disease caused by infection with the submacroscopic mite Knemidokoptes jamaicensis (Acari: Knemidokoptidae) in migratory American robins (Turdus migratorius) from a residential area of Tulsa (Oklahoma, USA) are documented during the winters (December through February) of 1993-94 and 1994-95. Estimates of 60 to > 80% of the birds in several different flights arriving in the area had lesions consistent with knemidokoptic mange. Epizootic occurrence of K. jamaicensis also is confirmed incidentally in American robins from Georgia (USA) in 1995 and 1998 and in Florida (USA) in 1991. These are the first confirmed epizootics of scaly leg attributed to infections with mites specifically identified as K. jamaicensis in North America. Severity of observed lesions in American robins ranged from scaly hyperkeratosis of the feet and legs to extensive proliferative lesions with loss of digits or the entire foot in some birds. Histologically, there was severe diffuse hyperkeratosis of the epidermis which contained numerous mites and multifocal aggregates of degranulating to degenerating eosinophilic heterophils; there was mild to severe superficial dermatitis with aggregates of eosinophilic heterophils and some mononuclear cells. Based on limited data from affected captive birds in Florida, we questioned the efficacy of ivermectin as an effective acaricide for knemidokoptiasis and propose that conditions associated with captivity may exacerbate transmission of this mite among caged birds. While knemidokoptic mange apparently can result in substantial host morbidity and possibly mortality, the ultimate impact of these epizootics on American robin populations presently is unknown.

Chelonacarus elongatus n. gen., n. sp. (Acari: Cloacaridae) from the cloaca of the green turtle Chelonia mydas (Cheloniidae).

Chelonacarus elongatus n. gen., n. sp. is proposed for a cheyletoid mite (Acari: Prostigmata) of the family Cloacaridae found in the cloacal tissue of the endangered green turtle Chelonia mydas Linnaeus, 1758 from the Atlantic coast of the Republic of Panama. In females, the new genus is distinguished from other genera of turtle cloacarids by the elongate slender shape of the idiosoma, the shape and pattern of sclerotization of the dorsal shield, and the fused distal ends of apodemes II. A combination of other features that distinguish the newly proposed genus is the smooth surface of the pedipalps, single dorsal spine on tibiae I-IV, no setae on coxa IV, terminal position of the vulva, and the strongly developed pair of ventral spines on tarsi I-II. This is the first record of cloacarids from sea turtles. The similarity of adult cloacarids in the genus Chelonacarus from sea turtles (Chelonioidea) and Cloacarus Camin et al., 1967 from snapping turtles (Chelydridae) lends support to the hypothesis of some paleontologists that these 2 groups of turtles are linked phylogenetically.

New records of subcutaneous mites (Acari:Hypoderatidae) in birds, with examples of potential host colonization events.

New host, geographic records, or both are established for 14 species of hypoderatid deutonymphs from 14 species of birds in North America. Ten of these records are regarded as examples of a potential host colonization event where these hypopi have become established in hosts other than those with which they are normally associated. Herein, potential host colonization events by hypoderatid deutonymphs are regarded as more of an ecologically determined than physiologically specific phenomenon, often specifically related to sharing of nesting sites in the same rookeries by different host taxa. Neottialges ibisicola Young & Pence is placed as a junior synonym of Neottialges plegadicola Fain. The taxonomic status of Hypodectes propus from columbid versus ardeid hosts needs further study.

Baylisascariasis in raccoons from southern coastal Texas.

Two hundred and two Baylisascaris procyonis were collected from 23 (70%) of 33 raccoons (Procyon lotor) at three localities in southern coastal Texas (USA). Abundances of B. procyonis were similar among collection localities. The presence of B. procyonis in Texas is confirmed, and this record considerably extends the potential range of baylisascariasis larval migrans in North America.

Neottialges neopelagicus new species (Acari:Hypoderatidae) from the pelagic cormorant (Aves:Phalacrocoracidae:Pelecaniformes).

A new species of hypoderatid deutonymph is described from the subcutaneous adipose tissues of the pelagic cormorant, Phalacrocorax pelagicus Pallas, from Alaska. Neotialges neopelagicus n. sp. is similar to the 3 other Neottialges spp. from cormorants. N. neopelagicus closely resembles N. tasmaniensis Fain & Domrow except the genital apodeme is incomplete in the latter, but the sclerotized T-shaped extremities are connected by a thin line of sclerotization to form a complete central apodeme in N. neopelagicus. There also are minor differences in leg chaetotaxy of these 2 species. The genital apodeme is heavily sclerotized throughout its length in N. evanis Fain and N. pelagicus OConnor. In both these species, seta d4 is long and resembles other middorsal idiosomal setae, whereas it is short and hairlike in N. tasmaniensis and N. neopelagicus. In N. pelagicus terminal seta as on tarsus IV is smooth; it is serrated in the other three species. The single pelagic cormorant we found infected with N. neopelagicus shared this host with N. pelagicus, emphasizing the possibility of coexistence of 2 very similar species of hypoderatids in the same host individual.

Redescription of Alcedinectes alcyon (Acari:Hypoderatidae) from the belted kingfisher (Aves:Coraciiformes; Alcedinidae).

Alcedinectes alcyon (Boyd) is redescribed based on specimens collected from its belted kingfisher, Megaceryle alcyon (L.), type host in Florida. This species differs from A. cerylei Fain by the chaetotaxy of tarsus III. A. alcyon has a long stout apical seta that tapers to a curved tip resembling that seen on tarsus III of the genus Tytodectes (Ispidectes) Fain. The equivalent seta in A. cerylei is a stout spine. There are other minor differences between these species in the pattern of idiosomal sclerotization and leg chaetotaxy. The chaetotaxy and solenidiotaxy of legs I and II in Alcedinectes closely resemble that of Amazonectes psittaci Fain & Vercammen-Grandjean from parrots (Psittaciformes), whereas the morphology and chaetotaxy of the idiosoma resemble that of Tytonectes (Ispidectes) spp. which also occurs in kingfishers (Coraciiformes). The long stout seta that tapers to a curved tip on tarsus III in A. alcyon also links the genus Alcedinectes with Tytodectes (Ispidectes).

Hypopi (Acari:Hypoderatidae) from owls (Aves:Strigiformes:Strigidae).

Hypopi (deutonymphs) of the family Hypoderatidae were found in a barn owl, Tyto alba (Scopoli), and a burrowing owl, Speotyto cunicularia (Molina), from Texas. A redescription is provided for mature specimens of the hypopus of Tytodectes (Tytodectes) tyto Fain from the subcutaneous adipose tissues of the pelvic region in the barn owl. The hypopus of Tytodectes (Tytodectes) speotyto n. sp. is described from specimens in the subcutaneous adipose tissues of the pelvic region and in the adipose tissues of the intermuscular fasciae of the ankle in the burrowing owl. T. (T.) speotyto appears most similar in size and chaetotaxy to T. (T.) glaucidii Cerný described from the Cuban pygmy owl, Glaucidium siju (d'Orbigny), in Cuba, but differs in the presence of a spine on tibia IV, which also occurs in T. (T.) tyto. Both of the former species have the anterior apodemes of coxae I fused in a simple V and lack a sternum. They differ from T. (T.) tyto which has the anterior apodemes of coxae I fused in a Y and there is a well developed sternum. Based on the above 3 described hypopi, the hypoderatids of owls represent an assemblage of small closely related, but easily differentiated, species. The occurrence of a few specimens of Neottialges evansi Fain in the barn owl and Hypodectes (Hypodectoides) propus (Nitzsch) in the burrowing owl probably represent examples of host capture by hypopi that normally occur in cormorants and pigeons, herons or egrets, respectively.

Thalassornectes dendrocygnae new species (Acari:Hypoderatidae) from the black-bellied whistling-duck (Aves:Anseriformes; Dendrocygnidae).

A new species of hypoderatid deutonymph is described from the subcutaneous adipose tissues of the black-bellied whistling-duck, Dendrocygna autumnalis (L.), from Texas. Thalassornectes dendrocygnae n. sp. is most similar to thalassornectes rwandae Fain from the white-backed duck, Thalassornis leuconotos Eyton, in Africa. The new species is distinguished by a complete genital apodeme, the interrupted pattern of midventral cuticular sclerotization between coxal fields II and III, the dense cuticular sclerotization of the posterior idiosoma, and the long filiform seta d5, which is longer than the other idiosomal setae. In T. rwandae, the anterior and posterior parts of the genital sclerite are separated in the middle, the pattern of midventral cuticular sclerotization is continuous in the midventer, there is no dense sclerotization in the posterior idiosoma, and seta d5 is not figured (broken or absent?). There also are minor differences in chaetotaxy and solenidiotaxy of legs I and III of these 2 species. T. dendrocygnae is only the 2nd species of hypoderatid described from the host order Anseriformes. The 2 Thalassornectes spp. are described exclusively from each of the 2 genera in the host family Dendrocygnidae, respectively. Reevaluation of the suite of characters used to differentiate subgenera in the genus Thalassornectes indicates that Thalassornectes Fain, Rallidectes Fain, and Alcidectes Pence & Hoberg should be considered invalid.

Hypopi (Acari: Hypoderatidae) from the roseate spoonbill (Aves: Ciconiiformes; Threskiornithidae).

A new species and additional host records for 4 other species of quiescent deutonymphs (hypopi) of mites of the family Hypoderatidae are described from the subcutaneous adipose tissues of a roseate spoonbill, Ajaia ajaja L., in Florida. The hypopus of Phalacrodectes parvus n. sp. most closely resembles that of P. platalea Pence & Duncan from the African spoonbill, Platalea alba Scopali, in idiosomatic chaetotaxy and structure of the genital apparatus. It differs from this and other species of the genus in the shape of the idiosoma, pattern and density of idiosomatic sclerotization, the unique posterior extension of secondary sclerotization from the perigenital area, large size and more posterior location of genital seta gm, and small size and sharp-tipped spinelike structure of seta hT on tibia II. In addition to the new species, this roseate spoonbill also was infected with P. whartoni Fain and 3 other less common species of hypoderatid deutonymphs. A key to the deutonymphs of species in the genus Phalacrodectes is presented.

Hypopi (Acari: Hypoderatidae) of the wood stork (Aves: Ciconiiformes; Ciconiidae).

A new species is described and additional host records are presented for 2 other species of deutonymphs of the family Hypoderatidae from the subcutaneous adipose tissues of the wood stork, Mycteria americana L. Phalacrodectes (Phalacrodectes) mycteria n. sp. appears to share affinities with species from both pelicaniform and ciconiiform hosts, but it most closely resembles P. (P.) punctatissimus (Cerný) Pence & Courtney from pelicans in idiosomal chaetotaxy, cuticular sclerotization, and posteriorly divergent, widely separated genital openings. The new species differs from this and other species of the genus by its small size, the degree of separation of the genital openings with papillae, no secondary sclerotization in the perigenital area or surrounding the genital openings, and the long filiform setae s and w on genu III. There was a mixed infection of Neottialges kutzeri Fain and N. mycteriae Pence in all of 7 wood storks examined from Florida and Georgia; P. (P.) mycteria was found in 4 of these hosts. This is the 7th species described as a deutonymph in the genus Phalacrodectes. The apparent close affinity of P. (P.) mycteria with P. (P.) punctatissimus and allied species from pelicaniform versus ciconiiform birds appears to be inconsistent with the established host-parasite relationships based on classical avian taxonomic relationships. However, this apparent affinity may be more reflective of the close relationships between the families of pelicans, ibises and spoonbills, and storks as recently proposed by DNA-DNA hybridization studies.

Notoedric mange in an ocelot (Felis pardalis) from southern Texas.

Notoedric mange was diagnosed in a free-ranging adult male ocelot (Felis pardalis) found dead in April 1994 in southern Texas (USA). The emaciated carcass had no body fat. The heart was enlarged and flaccid. There was a nonpurulent serosanguineous pericardial and peritoneal exudate. Severe encrusted skin lesions and alopecia extended from the head posteriorly to the shoulders. The forelegs and feet were less severely affected. We observed a massive infection of Notoedres cati in skin scrapings. Epidermal lesions included hyperkeratosis and parakeratosis with necrotic debris and foci of acute inflammatory cells surrounding mites and their eggs in the stratum corneum. There was mild acanthosis and spongiosis of the stratum germativum, but no chronic inflammation in the dermis. This is the first confirmed case in the ocelot, but notoedric manage has been reported from the bobcat (Felis rufus) in southern Texas. Thus, notoedric mange could pose an additional threat to the already endangered remnant population of the ocelot.

Redescription of Picidectes chapini and synonymy of Picidectes and Toucanectes (Acari: Hypoderatidae) from piciform birds.

A redescription of Picidectes chapini (Spurlock & Emlen) Fain is presented with particular attention to the underscribed details of idiosomal and leg chaetotaxy, solenidiotaxy, and size variation in the range of measured characters of the species. This is the second record of P. chapini from the northern flicker Colaptes auratus (L.) in North America. Aside from the mediolateral constriction just posterior to epimera IV, the morphology, chaetotaxy, and solenidiotaxy of P. chapini are very similar to those of the two known species in the genus Toucanectes Fain described from a toucan and woodpecker (both Piciformes), respectively. Thus, the genus Toucanectes is recognized as a junior synonym of Picidectes. The genus Picidectes is redescribed to include P. chapini as the type species, and P. ramphastos Fain n. comb. and P. dryocopi Pence n. comb.

First record of an hypopus (Acari: Hypoderatidae) from a jaeger (Aves: Charadriiformes: Stercorariidae).

Thalassornectes (Alcidectes) aukletae, originally described from two species of auklets (Charadriiformes: Alcidae) from maritime eastern Russia, is reported from a third species of pelagic charadriiform (Stercorariidae), the pomarine jaeger, Stercorarius pomarinus (Temminck), from Florida. The specimens from the jaeger are slightly smaller, the genital apodeme is more heavily sclerotized, paired setae gm are twice as long and there are other minor variations in the idiosomal and leg chaetotaxy. These differences are not considered sufficient to warrant taxonomic separation at the species or subspecies level from the nominate species T. (A.) aukletae. The same hypopus occurring across different families of birds is unusual in the Hypoderatidae. The diversity in hosts from several orders of birds, low intensities of infection in the two species from Africa, low prevalences in alcids from Russia, and rarity of these hypoderatids in all surveyed hosts leads us to speculate that the true host affinities of species in the genus Thalassornectes are unknown. The alternative consideration is that these are simply uncommon species that are very host specific.

Hypopi (Acari: Hypoderatidae) from subcutaneous tissues of the African spoonbill (Aves: Ciconiiformes: Threskiornithidae).

Two new species and a new host record for two additional species of deutonymphs of the family Hypoderatidae are described from subcutaneous adipose tissues of a captive African spoonbill, Platalea alba Scopali. Phalacrodectes (Phalacrodectes) platalea Pence & Duncan, n. sp. most closely resembles P. (P.) whartoni Fain and P. (P.) pelecani Pence & Courtney in chaetotaxy and cuticular sclerotization, but it differs by having secondary perigenital sclerotization surrounding the genital openings and parallel genital papillae. P. (P.) schoutedeni Fain is reexamined for the first time since its original description, which was based on a single specimen from a cormorant; we believe the affinity of this species is closer to those infecting ibises and spoonbills and that the former record was a case of accidental host capture among birds sharing the same rookery. A new host record is established for Neottialges platalea Fain & Laurence from the African spoonbill. The heavy idiosomal sclerotization, incomplete genital apodeme, and long dorsal setae differentiate Neottialges intermedius Pence & Duncan, n. sp. from all other species in the genus. Because this suite of characters was previously used to separate the three subgenera of the genus Neottialges, we propose that Neottialges, Caloenectes, and Pelecanectes should now be considered invalid subgeneric taxa.

Hemosporid parasitism of mallards at the southern periphery of their breeding range.

Thin blood smears from 37 juvenile mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) collected in the Playa Lakes Region of Texas during summers 1990 and 1991 were examined for hemosporids. Only one bird was infected with a Plasmodium sp. Parasite intensity was seven per 10,000 erthrocytes. The low prevalence of Plasmodium sp. and the lack of other blood parasites in resident mallards suggests that hemosporid parasitism at the southern periphery of their breeding range is very different from that at the northern breeding grounds.

Tetrameres (Petrowimeres) striata in ducks.

Tetrameres (Petrowimeres) striata is an uncommon and incompletely described nematode from North American and Eurasian waterfowl. Specimens collected from mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) from the Playa Lakes Region (PLR) in western Texas (USA), the mottled duck (A. platyrhynchos fulvigula) in Florida (USA), the mallard in the Amur River Basin of eastern Russia and the blue-winged teal (Anas discors) from western Texas (USA) provide the basis for redescription of T. (P.) striata. This species is differentiated from the closely related T. (P.) zakharowi and T. (P.) galericulata by the size of the left spicule and the prominent cuff on the proximal end of the right spicule. In mallards from the PLR, one to several adult males and a single female occurred within distended mucosal glands or, more rarely, in cystic cavities in the submucosal tissue of the proventriculus; intensities ranged from one to seven nematodes per host (mean +/- SE = 2.9 +/- 0.8). Infected proventricular gland mucosae were compressed as a result of pressure atrophy by the large gravid females. In addition to nematodes, some lesions also contained necrotic debris with inflammatory cells and were surrounded by an intense inflammatory response of eosinophils, macrophages, lymphocytes, epithelioid cells and fibroblasts. Other lesions had little or no inflammatory response. Lesions in the submucosa were surrounded by a thin fibrous cyst with or without adjacent inflammatory cells.