First Records of the Louse Solenopotes binipilosus

(Insecta: Phthiraptera) and the Mite Psoroptes ovis

(Arachnida: Acari) from Wild Southern Huemul
(Hippocamelus bisulcus)
Authors: González-Acuña, Daniel, Saucedo, G. Cristián, Corti, Paulo,
Casanueva, María Eugenia, and Cicchino, Armando
Source: Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 45(4) : 1235-1238
Published By: Wildlife Disease Association
URL: https://doi.org/10.7589/0090-3558-45.4.1235

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 Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 45(4), 2009, pp. 1235–1238
# Wildlife Disease Association 2009

First Records of the Louse Solenopotes binipilosus (Insecta:

Phthiraptera) and the Mite Psoroptes ovis (Arachnida: Acari) from Wild
Southern Huemul (Hippocamelus bisulcus)
Daniel González-Acuña,1,6 G. Cristián Saucedo,2 Paulo Corti,3 Marı́a Eugenia Casanueva,4 and
Armando Cicchino5 1 Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad de Concepción, Casilla 537, Chillán,
Chile; 2 Conservación Patagónica, Patagonia Park, Cochrane, Chile; 3 Instituto de Zoologı́a, Universidad Austral
de Chile, Casilla 567, Valdivia, Chile; 4 Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Oceanográficas, Universidad de
Concepción, Victor fomas 1290, Concepción, Chile; 5 Laboratorio de Artrópodos, Departamento de Biologı́a,
Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Funes 3300, 7600 Mar del Plata, Provincia Buenos Aires, Argentina;
6
Corresponding author (email: [email protected])

ABSTRACT: Two species of Phthiraptera, Bo- scrofa]), may be the source of endopara-
vicola caprae (Ischnocera: Bovicolidae) and sites affecting huemul deer (Dı́az and
Solenopotes binipilosus (Anoplura: Linognathi- Smith-Flueck, 2000). Studies of the ecto-
dae), and one species of mite, Psoroptes ovis
(Acari: Psoroptidae), were recorded on huemul parasites of the huemul are scarce, but a
(Hippocamelus bisulcus) in Chile. The sucking goat-chewing louse Bovicola caprae has
louse S. binipilosus and the mite P. ovis are been reported on captive huemul from
reported for the first time from this host. Argentina (Serret, 2001).
Key words: Acari, Bovicola caprae, first Between 14 June and 29 September
record, huemul, lice, mite, Psoroptes ovis,
Solenopotes binipilosus. 2007, 18 huemul (nine adult males and
nine adult females) were live-captured in
Huemul (Hippocamelus bisulcus) is an the vicinity of Cochrane (47u119S,
endemic cervid species of southern Chile 72u299W), Aysén District, Chile, at the
and Argentina. It is listed as endangered Lago Cochrane National Reserve (LCNR).
(IUCN, 2008) as a result of a significant The LCNR was created in 1967 to protect
decline in numbers and a reduction of its southern beech or lenga (Nothofagus pu-
original distribution range. Possible causes milio) forest and a population of huemul.
of the huemul’s decline are poaching, The reserve’s vegetation is classified as
habitat destruction, predation by dogs deciduous forest with a mosaic of shrubs
(Canis familiaris), susceptibility to live- and trees dominated by Antarctic beech or
stock diseases, competition with domestic ñirre (Nothofagus antarctica), along with
animals, and the introduction of exotic stands of N. pumilio and coihue (Nothofa-
species (Povilitis, 1998; Dı́az and Smith- gus dombeyi). There are also old burned
Flueck, 2000; Serret, 2001). It is consid- areas resulting from a fire that occurred in
ered an umbrella species (Hunter, 1996) 1942–45. Much of the reserve used by
and is one of the most vulnerable and least huemul is dominated by steep terrain (23%
known cervids in the world (Smith-Flueck, of the entire area has more than a 45u slope)
2000). The current population of huemul and flat rocky outcrops. Mean annual
is about 1,000–1,500 individuals (Smith- temperature is 7.6 C, and annual precipita-
Flueck, 2000; Serret, 2001). tion is around 805 mm. The 6,925 ha of the
Serret (2001) believes that domestic reserve are surrounded by a private park on
animals (e.g., cattle [Bos taurus], sheep the north and east sides, small sheep farms
[Ovis aries], goats [Capra hircus], horses on the west side, and by Lake Cochrane and
[Equus caballus], and dogs) as well as a river to the south and southeast.
introduced wild mammals (i.e., red deer The 18 huemul were captured and
[Cervus elaphus] and wild boar [Sus chemically immobilized with a combina-

1235

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 1236 JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE DISEASES, VOL. 45, NO. 4, OCTOBER 2009

tion of ketamine (,2.0 6 0.7 mg/kg) and showed heavy infestations, causing skin
medetomidine (,0.09 6 0.05 mg/kg), damage manifested by redness, thicken-
followed by the injection of atimpamezole ing, and desquamation. A single animal
(,0.40 6 0.2 mg/kg) as antagonist agent was coinfested with all three species of
(P. Corti and C. Saucedo, unpubl. data). ectoparasites. Negative animals had no
Capture was authorized by the Chile evidence of skin damage due to the
Agricultural Service. After sedation, each ectoparasites, which are easily recognized
animal was placed over a canvas sling in a on affected individuals. Lice were located
sternal position, and both flanks of the mainly on the head, thighs, loins, and
animals were visually examined for ecto- lateral sides of the trunk of the animals.
parasites. Blood samples were collected, The mites were mainly found on the back.
body measurements were taken, and clin- The small total number of both louse
ical examinations were performed. Prior to species (chewing and sucking lice) found
their release, huemul were identified and (n523) in this study was presumably due to
marked with a numbered ear tag, and some the relative low density, small group size,
were tagged with a very high frequency and scattered distribution of huemul in the
(VHF) radio collar. In the laboratory, area (Corti, 2008). Low host numbers,
ectoparasites were separated taxonomically scattered distribution, and small group size
into chewing lice, sucking lice, and mites, are mechanisms that reduce the probability
and sex and developmental stages (i.e., of parasite infestations (Lohele, 1995).
adults or nymphs) were determined using Lice are highly specialized obligate
a stereomicroscope. Ectoparasites were ectoparasites of mammals and birds (John-
fixed and preserved in 70% alcohol. Lice son and Clayton, 2003). The primary host
were slide-mounted in Canada balsam of B. caprae is the domestic goat (includ-
following the technique described by Palma ing goats in Chile; Tagle, 1966), and
(1978), and mites were cleared with Nesbitt infestations have been reported from dead
solution for 72 hr at 55 C, dehydrated with captive huemul in Argentina (Serret,
alcohol, and slide-mounted in Berlesse 2001) and Chile (Povilitis, 1998). Because
mixture (Krantz, 1978). All specimens were several developmental stages (nymphs,
deposited in the collection of the Zoology males and female) were found on the
Department at the Universidad de Con- huemul sampled in the present study, we
cepción, Chillán, Chile. conclude that this louse species is now
Identification of the chewing lice as established on wild huemul, and detected
Bovicola caprae (Ischnocera: Bovicoliidae) infestations were not the result of contact
was based on size, antennal shape, chae- with domestic goats. Goats have been
totaxy, thorax shape, and genitalia, follow- suggested as a potential source of an
ing Werneck (1936, 1948, 1950). The infestation of B. caprae in captive pudu
sucking lice were identified as Solenopotes (Pudu puda; González-Acuña et al., 2004),
binipilosus (Anoplura: Linognathidae) fol- but we believe that the current infesta-
lowing Ferris (1932). Identification of the tions are a result of introduction via
mites as Psoroptes ovis (Acari: Psoropti- domestic goats and a successful host-
dae) was based on previously published switch (see Paterson and Gray, 1997;
descriptions (Sweatman, 1958; Sanders et Paterson et al., 1999, 2003). Other cervid
al., 2000; Pegler et al., 2005). species are not known to be parasitized by
Five (27%) of the 18 huemul were B. caprae (Price et al., 2003).
infested with ectoparasites. Two (11%) The present report of S. binipilosus from
animals carried adult B. caprae, and two huemul constitutes a new host record. This
(11%) carried S. binipilosus; one present- parasite has been recorded from three
ed both louse species. Four (22%) huemul species of deer in South America, including
were affected by P. ovis, but two of them Mazama gouazoubira, Mazama americana

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 SHORT COMMUNICATIONS 1237

(Castro and Cicchino, 1998), and pudu Sherbrooke through a National Science
(González-Acuña et al., 2004), and has been and Engineering Research Council of
associated with disease. Because of the low Canada (NSERC) grant given to M.
number of specimens collected during this Festa-Bianchet that covered a large part
study (two females), the significance of this of the research expenses. Conaf Aysén
new host record is unknown, and additional District Office allowed us the access to
studies that include goats and other mam- work in LCNR. Huemul-capturing per-
malian hosts are needed to fully understand mits were issued for P. Corti by the
its host range. Wildlife Subdepartment, Natural Renew-
Psoroptes mites are a major cause of able Resources Division of the Agricultur-
psoroptic mange in domestic and wild al Service of Chile (SAG).
ungulates, causing livestock welfare prob-
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