Ocurrence of Mites and Parasitic Lice of the European Starling in Living in Olive-Growing Regions of Ouedsmar (Algiers, Algeria)
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Abstract
Wild birds existing in proximity to cities have potential to disease dispersal and could be reservoir for different zoonosis. Our goal was identify parasites from starlings, in olive-growing regions of OuedSmar (Algiers). A total of 32 Starlings trapped (December 2018 - January 2019), yielded 371 ectoparasitic, belonging to two groups with 8 species. (1) Bloodsucking mites (class Arachnids, order Astigmata) four families Trouessartiidae, Proctophyllodidae, Analgidae, Parasitidae (2) Bird lice Mallophagi two families Menoponidae and Philopteridae. Measurements and statistical calculation showed: Lengths (millimetres) Myrsidea sp. (males 2.94 ± 6.02, females 4.24 ± 8.37, larvae 1.55 ± 4.17, nymphs 0.22 ± 0.64). Brueelianebulosa (males 0.37 ± 0.79, females 0.63 ± 1.15, larvae 0.17 ± 0.37). Menacanthus sp. (females 1.15 ± 0.00, larvae 0.37 ± 0.00). Sturnidoecussturni (males 0.48 ± 0.39, females 0.69 ± 0.56, nymphs 0.18 ± 0.00). Trouesartiidea sp. (males 0.27 ± 0.90, larvae 0.28 ± 0.00). Prevalence Trouessartiidae sp. (males) 84.4% (dominant species gender). Following Analgidae sp. (males, and females) 46.9%, Myrsidea sp. (females, males and larvae), and Trouessartiidae sp. (females). Brueelianebulosa (females) 25%, (males) 21.9%, (larvae) 9.4%; Myrsidea sp. (nymphs), Proctophyllodidae sp. and Sturnidoecussturni (nymphs) 6.3% correspondingly. General Linear Model Proctophyllodidae sp. (female) α < 0.0001, Myrsidea sp. α < 0.0001, Trouessartiidae sp. α < 0.001, Menacanthus sp. α < 0.001 and Sturnidoecussturni α < 0.05. So far we are aware this is the first report on mites and lice parasitizing starlings in Algeria.