Population levels of Phthiraptera on domestic ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) (Anseriformes: Anatidae)

Abstract

Three phthirapteran species (two Ischnocera and one Amblycera) were recovered from hundred ducks in district Bareilly and Rampur during 2011-2012. Prevalence of Anaticola crassicornis was comparatively higher (31 %) than that of Anatoecus dentatus (16 %) and Holomenpon leucoxanthum (28 %). However, the intensity of infestation of H. leucoxanthum (22.89) remained higher than the other two species. Distribution pattern of all lice were skewed but negative binomial model was not found to be a good fit. Sex ratios of all three species were skewed in favour of females (A. crassicornis-1:1.23, H. leucoxanthum-1:1.19, A. dentatus-1:1.72) and nymphal population exceeded the adult population (A. crassicornis-1:1.26, H. leucoxanthum-1:1.12, A. dentatus-1:1.61).

First report of Anatoecus dentatus in domestic duck ( Anas platyrhynchos domesticus , Linnaeus, 1978) from Southern India

“…A. crassicornis (Scopoli, 1763) (= Esthiopterum crassicorne ), A. dentatus and Holomenopon obscurum (Piaget, 1880) (= Menopon obscurum ) were reported in domestic duck ( Anas platyrhynchos ) from hilly tracts of northern India ( Ansari 1947 ; Rai, 1977 , Ahmad et al, 2013 ). However, no chewing louse species of the domestic duck has yet been reported from Southern India ( Tandan and Kumar, 1969 , Lakshminarayana, 1979 , Laksmanan et al, 2007 , Ahmad et al, 2013 ). In this study, seven specimens were obtained from the duck ( A. platyrhynchos domesticus ) and they were identified as A. dentatus (Scopoli, 1763).…”

“…A. dentatus and A . icteroides are the two species of this genus reported from northern India ( Ansari, 1947 , Rai, 1977 , Ahmad et al, 2013 ). A. dentatus has been reported as a cosmopolitan species occurring on various host species in the family Anatidae ( Keler, 1960 ) but had not been previously reported in ducks from Southern India.…”

“…A. dentatus has also been reported from ducks of Megalaya, India ( Rai, 1977 ). Ahmad et al (2013) recovered three phthiraptera species, A. crassicornis , A. dentatus and H. leucoxanthum in Bareilly and Rampur district of northern India during 2011–2012 ( Fig. 1 ).…”

“…1 ). However no chewing louse species of the common duck has yet been reported from Southern India ( Tandan and Kumar, 1969 , Lakshminarayana, 1979 , Laksmanan et al, 2007 , Ahmad et al, 2013 ). Hence the study was envisaged to identify the lice collected from the duck morphologically and know the epidemiological significance in India.…”

New record of Anaticola mergiserrati (Phthiraptera: Ischnocera: Philopteridae) from Sindh Province, Pakistan, with its detailed morpho-taxonomy

“…It is a large genus with 37 species parasitizing Anatid birds worldwide [5,9,10], with more elongated and narrow body. After Clay [10], this genus has been remained contradict in its taxonomical description with in species, however it has been considered as inquirenda and need to explicit its recognized characters [11][12][13][14][15]. Amongst all species of this genus only three species have been found on various bird species of the same subfamily within the family Anatidae, for instance A. anseris (L.), A. mergiserrati (de Geer) and A. crassicornis (Scopoli), A. mergiserrati is known from 16 species, mainly from the tribe Aythyini (subfamily Aythyinae) and tribe Mergini (subfamily Anatinae) but not yet reported from tribe Anatini (subfamily Anatinae) [9,13,[16][17][18].…”