Mesocarnivores and macroparasites: altitude and land use predict the ticks occurring on red foxes (Vulpes vulpes)

Abstract

BackgroundThe red fox Vulpes vulpes is the most common mesocarnivore in Europe and with a wide geographical distribution and a high density in most terrestrial habitats of the continent. It is fast urbanising species, which can harbor high numbers of different tick species, depending on the region. Here we present the results of a large-scale study, trying to disentangle the intricate relationship between environmental factors and the species composition of ectoparasites in red foxes. The samples were collected in Transylvania (Romania), a region with a diverse geography and high biodiversity. The dead foxes (collected primarily through the National Surveillance Rabies Program) were examined carefully for the presence of ticks.ResultsTicks (n = 4578) were found on 158 foxes (out of 293 examined; 53.9%). Four species were identified: Dermacentor marginatus, Ixodes canisuga, I. hexagonus and I. ricinus. The most common tick species was I. hexagonus (mean prevalence 37.5%, mean intensity 32.2), followed by I. ricinus (15.0%; 4.86), I. canisuga (4.8%; 7.71) and D. marginatus (3.7%; 3.45). Co-occurrence of two or more tick species on the same host was relatively common (12.6%), the most common co-occurrence being I. hexagonus - I. ricinus. For D. marginatus and I. canisuga the highest prevalence was recorded in lowlands, for I. hexagonus in hilly areas, while for I. ricinus in mountains.ConclusionsAltitude influenced the intensity of parasitism, with highest intensity observed for all Ixodes species in hilly areas. Dermacentor marginatus occurred only in lowlands, I. canisuga in lowlands and hilly areas while the other two species occurred in all of the regions studied. Foxes from lower altitudes had the most tick species associated, with most incidences of co-parasitism also recorded here. Land use affected tick-species composition, with the presence of D. marginatus strongly associated with the extension of arable areas and lack of forests. The presence of I. hexagonus was determined only by the extent of arable lands. As foxes are frontrunners of wildlife urbanization process, with a continuous increase of their numbers in urban areas, the knowledge of their ticks’ ecology (and the pathogens vectored by these) is of utmost importance.

Under the skin: Ixodes ticks in the subcutaneous tissue of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) from Germany

“…The observed prevalence of subcutaneous ticks (88.1%) in the present study is higher than in Poland (38%) [20] and Czech Republic/Romania (15.4%) [18]. Moreover, the prevalence of subcutaneous ticks is higher in comparison with external tick prevalence in red foxes from Italy (7.4%) [29] and Romania (53.9%) [30], but coincides to studies from Spain (51.1-84.6%) [31][32][33] and Germany (76.5-82.6%) [7,34]. Additionally, the infestation intensity of subcutaneous ticks (mean = 10.8) in the present study is similar to external ticks from another study examining 1268 foxes in Germany (mean = 11.7) [34].…”

Contributions to the phylogeny of Ixodes (Pholeoixodes) canisuga, I. (Ph.) kaiseri, I. (Ph.) hexagonus and a simple pictorial key for the identification of their females

“…Recently, ticks resembling I. kaiseri were reported in Poland [33]. Although I. kaiseri was previously reported from Romania [34], this was not confirmed by later studies involving or reporting ticks of carnivores [8, 35–37]. Here, the evidence is provided for the occurrence of I. kaiseri in Romania, as well as in three other countries, where it had not been reported yet (Germany, Hungary and Serbia).…”

First report of the dog louse fly Hippobosca longipennis in Romania

“…However, there is no evidence of its permanent establishment. Moreover, none of the previous studies of ectoparasites of domestic and wild carnivores in Romania reported the presence of H. longipennis (Dumitrache et al ., ; D'Amico et al ., , ; Foley et al ., ; Sándor et al ., ). It should be noted that Hippobosca equina has also been reported in dogs from Albania (Danielova, ) and Poland (Sokół & Gałecki, ).…”