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TICKS (ACARI, IXODIDAE) ON INDIGENOUS AND MIGRATORY BIRDS IN CHISHINAU
MOROZOV Alexandr1, PROCA Andrei2
1-Institute of Zoology of ASM
2-Agricultural University of R.М.
Referee: MOVILA Alexandru., doctor in biological science
Key words: ticks, indigenious and migratory birds, Chisinau
Birds are one of the most important hosts of juvenile development stages of ticks[1]. The tick dominant
species in R. Moldova is three-hosts tick Ixodes ricinus Uspenskaia (1978) reported that this tick species is a most
common on birds [2].
The actuality of research in the field of parasite-host relationship between ticks and birds is clear. Ticks
have the main role in transmission and storage of many causative agents of many different natural focal diseases:
different types of rickettsia of spontaneous fevers, piroplasmoses and arboviruses. Representatives of such
pathogens where found in ixodes ticks[3]. In Moldova the monitoring of migratory birds for infection with tick and
tick-borne pathogens was not carried out since 1985.
Materials and methods. The study was carried out from March to November 2012 in 2 sites - Botanical
Garden (Chisinau city) and Durleshti forest (Durlesti city) in close proximity to residential areas. Altoghether, 84
birds were captured with the help of specialized catching webs. Birds were placed in bags made of thick fabric, right
after birds were examined in the camp for the presence of ticks. Ticks were removed with the help of tweezers and
preserved in 70% alcohol, after the examination birds were released without being harmed and without banding.
Results. For the presence of ixodes ticks were examined 84 specimens of 24 species of birds from 14
families: Turdus merula, Turdus philomelos, Luscinia luscinia , Dendrocopos syriacus, Dendrocopos major,
Dendrocopos minor, Picus canus, Parus major, Cyanistes caeruleus, Garrulus glandarius, Pica pica, Fringílla
coelebs, Coccothraustes coccothraustes, Fringílla coeleb, Carduelis Chloris, Sylvia atricapilla, Phylloscopus
trochilus, Erithacus rubecula, Phoenicurus ochruros, Emberiza citronella, Passerdomesticus, Anthus trivialis,
Lanius collurio, Sitta europaea, Oriolus oriolus, Sturnus vulgaris. Most numerous were blackbird and mavis, T.
merula and T. philomelos. During the study, it was established that of the 24 species 8 species were infected with
ticks. From 84 specimens of birds 16 instances were infected. From the 16 bird specimens were collected 42 ticks.
During the work we have detected 2 species of ticks I. ricinus with 38 samples and Ixodes frontalis with 4
individuals. Hosts of immature phases were next species – T. philomelos, T. merula, S. vulgaris, P. major, L.
luscinia, E. rubecula, A. trivialis. The highest infection rate was recorded in May, larvae appeared at the beginning
of June.
Reference:
1. 1. Alekseev A., E. Dubinin, A.A.Movila, I.K. Toderas, O.O. Tolstenkov “Migratory and synanthropic
birds and parasitic arthropods on them as components of parasitic systems foci transmissible infections” //
Natural and Technical Sciences 2008 , P. 81-85 (in russian)
2. Ucpenskaya IG, Ticks Dniester-Prut interfluve, / / 1987, 142 p. (in russian)
3. Dubinina H.V., Alekseev A.N. The role of migratory passerine birds in pathogen exchange between
cofeeding Ixodes ricinus ticks (Acarina, Ixodidae) // Acarina 2003. Vol. 11, No. 1. P. 99–104