Ectoparasites of the Pallas squirrel, Callosciurus erythraeus, introduced to Japan

Abstract

The squirrel Callosciurus erythraeus (Pallas) (Rodentia: Sciuridae) was intentionally introduced to Japan in 1935 and has become established throughout much of the country. Although they live mainly in forests, Pallas squirrels come into gardens and are frequently fed by people or kept as pets, so their ectoparasites could be of potential medical as well as veterinary importance. During 2001-2003 we conducted the first ectoparasite survey of Pallas squirrels in Japan. From 105 C. erythraeus captured in Kamakura District of Kanagawa Prefecture on Honshu Island, three types of ectoparasite were found: 52 specimens of the sucking louse Neohaematopinus callosciuri Johnson (Anoplura: Haematopinidae), 26 fleas Ceratophyllus (Monopsyllus) anisus Rothschild (Siphonaptera: Ceratophyllidae) and four nymphs of the tick Haemaphysalis flava Neumann (Acari: Ixodidae) on 22, 13 and one squirrels, respectively. Evidently in Japan C. erythraeus carries relatively few ectoparasite species; this may be a contributory factor to their invasive success. Further investigations are needed to assess risks of zoonotic transmission of plague or murine typhus by C. anisus, of louse-borne typhus by N. callosciuri and of tularaemia and especially Japanese spotted fever (Rickettsia japonica) by H. flava.

Callosciurus squirrels: worldwide introductions, ecological impacts and recommendations to prevent the establishment of new invasive populations

“…C. erythraeus introduced into Japan carried six macro‐parasite species: a hard tick, Haemaphysalis flava ; two sucking lice, Enderleinellus kumadai and Neohaematopinus callosciuri ; a flea, Ceratophyllus ( Monopsyllus ) anisus ; and three nematodes, Brevistriata callosciuri , Strongyloides callosciureus and Gongylonema neoplasticum (Kaneko , Shinozaki et al. ,b, Asakawa , Sato et al. ).…”

Arthropod parasites of the red‐bellied squirrel Callosciurus erythraeus introduced into Argentina

“…None of the genera of laepid mites associated with the red‐bellied squirrel in southwest China have ever been reported in Argentina, except for Laelaps nuttalli (Hirst, 1915) (Lareschi & Mauri, 1998). In other areas into which red‐bellied squirrels have been introduced, such as in Belgium, France and Japan, these squirrels have been found to have carried parasites from their native range into the recipient community and also to have acquired new parasites from co‐inhabiting native hosts (Table 2) (Shinozaki et al , 2004; Dozières et al , 2010).…”

“…Parasites may also play an important role in the outcome of the invasion process, as has been reported for several introduced species that have escaped the negative effects of parasitism (Torchin et al , 2003). Introduced squirrels have been reported to pose sanitary risks to humans and native species by their carriage of arthropod vectors that may transmit pathogens (Craine et al , 1995; Shinozaki et al , 2004; Pisanu et al , 2010; Marsot et al , 2011). However, the role of these parasites in the success of an exotic species' invasion is still unclear.…”

Parasitic associations of a threatened Sri Lankan rainforest rodent, Mus mayori pococki (Rodentia: Muridae)

“…Thus both the ectoparasites and intestinal parasites reported in the present study form the first records for endemic threatened M. m. pococki of Sri Lanka. Although there seems to be no adverse effects from these parasites on M. m. pococki in Sri Lanka, it has been reported that sucking lice are responsible for transmitting louse borne typhus in Japan (Shinozaki et al 2004) and may be intramurid vectors of murine typhus and other zoonoses (Durden & Page 2008).…”