Search

Fifty-two free-ranging blackbuck antelope (Antilope cervicapra) from Texas were examined for ectoparasites. Two species of sucking lice (Anoplura), one species of chewing louse (Mallophaga), one species of louse fly (Diptera), and three species of ticks (Acari) were found. This is the first report of the anoplurans Linognathus cervicaprae and L. pithodes from the Western Hemisphere. The southern deer ked (Lipoptena mazamae), the winter tick (Dermacentor albipictus), and the rabbit tick (Haemaphysalis leporispalustris) are reported from blackbuck for the first time. The lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum) and the mallophagan (Damalinia cornuta cornuta) were reported previously from blackbuck in Texas, the latter species under the name Tricholipeurus balanicus balanicus.

Hoplopleura chrysocomi, H. sembeli, and H. musseri are described and illustrated as new species from bioendemic murid rodents, and H. pacifica Ewing is documented from commensal murids from Sulawesi Utara, Indonesia. H. chrysocomi parasitized only Bunomys chrysocomus (Hoffmann), and H. musseri was taken only from Maxomys musschenbroeki (Jentink). H. sembeli was collected from three species of sympatric murids but parasitized principally Maxomys hellwaldi (Jentink). Similarities between H. musseri from Sulawesi and H. pectinata (Cummings) from mainland Southeast Asia and Borneo corroborate host taxonomies that propose close phylogenetic relationships between their spiny rat hosts. Brief comment is made on possible coevolution between the regionally bioendemic Sulawesi macaques and their pedicinid sucking lice.

Eight species of ectoparasites were recovered from 35 Sylvilagus audubonii and 35 Lepus californicus occurring sympatrically near the Clovis-Portales area of eastern New Mexico. Recovered were Anoplura (Haemodipsus setoni), Diptera (Cuterebra lepusculi and Cuterebra ruficrus), Siphonaptera (Echidnophaga gallinacea and Euhoplopsyllus glacialis), and Acari (Ornithodoros parkeri, Dermacentor parumapertus, and Haemaphysalis leporispalustris). Jaccard's index showed a 50% ectoparasitic overlap with H. setoni, E. glacialis, D. parumapertus, and H. leporispalustris present on both host species. Cuterebra lepusculi, E. gallinacea, and Ornithodoros parkeri were taken only from S. audubonii, whereas C. ruficrus occurred only on jack rabbits. Euhoplopsyllus glacialis was the only species to demonstrate a preference for sex of host, occurring more abundantly on females.

The occurrence of the louse Hoplopleura pacifica on Rattus norvegicus from Barcelona is reported. The rats infested were caught in two different biotopes: the sewer system and the port.

In experimental trials on cattle, ivermectin given SC at 200 micrograms/kg had 95% or better efficacy against adult and immature GI and pulmonary nematodes, including inhibited fourth-stage larvae of Ostertagia ostertagi. Studies of efficacy against ectoparasites revealed nearly 100% efficacy against sucking lice, psoroptic and sarcoptic mange mites and cattle grubs. Safety trials revealed no adverse effects with the recommended dosage, including bulls and pregnant cows. A few grub-infested cattle died from acute esophagitis associated with a host-parasite reaction after ivermectin injection.