Ocurrence of Mites and Parasitic Lice of the European Starling in Living in Olive-Growing Regions of Ouedsmar (Algiers, Algeria)

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.