The phoresy of the louse Mallophaga on the population of the louse-fly Hippoboscidae

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 471-474 ◽  
Author(s):  
Матюхин ◽  
A. Matyukhin

Objective of research: To study the role of phoresy of the louse Mallophaga on the population of the louse-fly Hippoboscidae. Material and methods: In 1997–2015 more than 10000 birds were caught; from them about 2000 louse-flies Hippoboscidae were collected and studied. Results and discussion: 12 cases of phoresy of the louse Mallophaga on the louse-fly Hippoboscidae were recorded: 7 cases of phoresy of Columbicola columbae on pigeon louse flies Pseudolynchia canariensis collected from pigeons (Columba livia); one case — phoresy of the louse Ricinus rubeculae on the louse fly Orniyhomyia fringillina from the robin (Erithacus rubecula); one case — phoresy of the louse on the louse fly O. avicularia from the rook (Corvus frugilegus); one — phoresy of the louse on louse fly O. avicularia from the cuckoo (Cuculus canorus); one — phoresy of the louse on the louse fly Ornithoica turdi from the nightingale (Luscinia luscinia); one case — phoresy of the louse on the louse fly O. chloropus from Luscinia svecica.

2012 ◽  
Vol 107 (2) ◽  
pp. 704-717 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henri Gioanni ◽  
Pierre-Paul Vidal

Context-specific adaptation (Shelhamer M, Clendaniel R. Neurosci Lett 332: 200–204, 2002) explains that reflexive responses can be maintained with different “calibrations” for different situations (contexts). Which context cues are crucial and how they combine to evoke context-specific adaptation is not fully understood. Gaze stabilization in birds is a nice model with which to tackle that question. Previous data showed that when pigeons ( Columba livia) were hung in a harness and subjected to a frontal airstream provoking a flying posture (“flying condition”), the working range of the optokinetic head response [optocollic reflex (OCR)] extended toward higher velocities compared with the “resting condition.” The present study was aimed at identifying which context cues are instrumental in recalibrating the OCR. We investigated that question by using vibrating stimuli delivered during the OCR provoked by rotating the visual surroundings at different velocities. The OCR gain increase and the boost of the fast phase velocity observed during the “flying condition” were mimicked by body vibration. On the other hand, the newly emerged relationship between the fast-phase and slow-phase velocities in the “flying condition” was mimicked by head vibration. Spinal cord lesion at the lumbosacral level decreased the effects of body vibration, whereas lesions of the lumbosacral apparatus had no effect. Our data suggest a major role of muscular proprioception in the context-specific adaptation of the stabilizing behavior, while the vestibular system could contribute to the context-specific adaptation of the orienting behavior. Participation of an efferent copy of the motor command driving the flight cannot be excluded.


2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. e2157
Author(s):  
María Cristina Hernández-Martínez ◽  
Jorge Luis Parra-Arango ◽  
Agustín Góngora-Orjuela ◽  
Harvey Augusto Walteros-Casas ◽  
Jenny Jovana Chaparro-Gutiérrez

Objetivo. Determinar la presencia de parásitos internos y externos en palomas comunes (Columba livia) del área urbana de la ciudad de Villavicencio, Meta, durante la transición verano a invierno del año 2017. Materiales y Métodos. Se capturaron 72 palomas de tres comunas de la ciudad y sometidas a inspección visual para parásitos externos, a la vez se obtuvo muestras de material fecal para análisis coprológico mediante el método de Sheather’s. Se realizaron frotis con las muestras de sangre y tinción con Giemsa para agentes hemotrópicos. Resultados. En el 100% de las muestras se encontraron dos especies de parásitos externos: piojos malófagos (Columbicola columbae) y mosca de paloma (Pseudolynchia canariensis). Dentro de los parásitos internos se encontraron dos protozoarios: Haemoproteus spp. 26.5% (9/34) en frotis sanguíneo y Eimeria spp. 36% (26/72) en heces, seguido de los nematodos: Ascaridia spp. 4.2% (3/72) y Capillaria spp. 13.8% (10/72) y cestodos: Raillietina spp. 1.38% (1/72). No se encontró asociación del parasitismo con el sexo de la paloma o la comuna de muestreo. Conclusiones. La presencia de parásitos internos fue baja, excepto para Eimeria spp., estos datos representan información importante del riesgo potencial para la salud animal y humana, especialmente para poblaciones comerciales de aves y la avifauna nativa. Estos resultados indican que se requieren programas sanitarios y de control en las poblaciones de palomas de la ciudad.


2002 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 366-370 ◽  
Author(s):  
Trond Amundsen ◽  
Paul T. Brobakken ◽  
Arne Moksnes ◽  
Eivin Røskaft

2020 ◽  
Vol 108 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Kreitschitz ◽  
E. Haase ◽  
S. N. Gorb

AbstractMyxodiaspory (formation of mucilage envelope around seeds and fruits) is a common adaptation to dry habitats known in many families of Angiosperms. The mucilage envelope of some seeds seems to be also a unique morphological adaptation which protects myxospermatic diaspores while passing through the bird’s digestive system. To evaluate the protective potential of mucilage, we fed the diaspores of seven plant species (representing three different mucilage types and three species of non-mucilaginous plants) to pigeons, Columba livia domestica. Twenty-four hours later, we collected the droppings of pigeons and examined a total of 18,900 non-destroyed diaspores to check for mucilage presence and germination ability. Out of all the examined diaspores, 4.5% were mucilaginous seeds. Among them, the highest number (12.2–13.5%) of viable diaspores belonged to the hemicellulosic type of mucilage (from Plantago species). Only 3.7% of germinating diaspores with pectic mucilage (Linum usitatissimum) were collected, and no seeds representing cellulosic mucilage (e.g., Ocimum basilicum). For non-mucilaginous plants, we collected only a few individual seeds (0.1% out of 8100 seeds used). We noted that the mucilaginous seeds found in the droppings were able to germinate; however, the germination ability was generally smaller in comparison to the control (i.e., not digested) seeds. Our results revealed that the presence of mucilage envelope has an impact on diaspore dispersal and survivability. With our experiments, we demonstrated for the first time that the mucilage envelope, especially of the non-cellulosic type, supports endozoochory. We also showed that non-mucilaginous seeds can be occasionally dispersed via endozoochory and are able to germinate. The results of our studies can explain the ways of plants distribution at a small, local scale as well as in long-distance dispersal, e.g., between islands or even continents.


2014 ◽  
Vol 48 (5) ◽  
pp. 467-470
Author(s):  
I. V. Nebogatkin

Abstract Birds as the Feeders of Ticks (Acari, Ixodida) in Megalopolis of Kyiv. Nebogatkin, I. V. - Data about ticks parasitizing on birds in the city of Kyiv were summarized. 117 birds and 27 nests were examined. Ticks were found on six species collecting food on the ground level: Great Tit (Parus major), White Wagtail (Motacilla alba), Rook (Corvus frugilegus), blackbird (Turdus merula), and Nuthatch (Sitta europaea). 56 Ixodidae specimens of four species from two genera were collected from the birds and their nests: Ixodes ricinus (Linnaeus, 1758); I. arboricola Schulze et Schlottke, 1930; I. lividus (Koch, 1844), Haemaphysalis concinna Koch, 1844. Th e role of birds as feeders of all developmental stages of ticks not only increases under conditions of urban landscape, but also becomes leading in the places with low population of small mammals. Ectoparasites of birds of the other taxonomic groups along with the ticks can play an important role in maintaining the circulation of pathogens of various aetiologies in the urban landscapes.


2009 ◽  
Vol 205 (2) ◽  
pp. 396-405 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luciane Coutinho Azevedo Campanella ◽  
Amanda Alcaraz da Silva ◽  
Dayane Stephany Gellert ◽  
Caroline Parreira ◽  
Mayara Caldas Ramos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  

Author(s):  
T. V. Shupova ◽  
◽  
S. N. Koniakin ◽  

In settlements, safe places for birds nesting and feeding need to be created. The purpose of the work is to assess the state and identify vectors of the formation of nesting bird communities in parks under the pressure of anthropic load in the metropolis. In parks of Kyiv 62 species of birds nest. Such faunogenetic complexes like European nemoral (25.0–53.3%), Desert-mountain (12.0–27.8%) and Forest-steppe (6.9–25.0%) prevail. The number of community species in each of parks is 49–12, the average nesting density is 0.08±0.02–0.9±0.19 pairs / ha, and the dispersion is 0.12–1.62. With the combination of anthropic load on biotopes of more than 140 points with a small area of parks (2.0–16.5 ha), the species composition of communities decreases, and the average nesting density and density dispersion increase. Dominated by density: Parus major, Columba livia, Sturnus vulgaris, Turdus merula, Passer domesticus, Passer montanus, Fringilla coelebs, Columba palumbus, Apus apus, Ficedula albicollis, Erithacus rubecula, Turdus pilaris. All birds in communities are obligate synanthropes (12.9%; n=62) or hemisinanthropes. Obligate synanthropes are distributed in communities of 0-7 species. According to the gradient of increasing anthropic load on parks, logarithmic trends show a slight increase in the percentage share of obligate synanthropes in the species composition and in the number of breeding pairs. 47–70% nest on trees, 0–14.3% in shrubs, 0–13.0% on ground and in buildings. In parks, birds (16–38% of the species composition), in addition to using species-specific stations, nest in the cavities of buildings. Such species like Motacilla alba L., Sturnus vulgaris, Ficedula albicollis, Muscicapa striata Pallas, Erithacus rubecula, Parus major, Passer domesticus, Passer montanus nest in this way. Due to this nesting strategy, the need of the birds in hollows and the dependence on the woodpeckers in the community decreases. High parameters of the Shannon index (1.51–3.14) and Pielou index (0.61–0.95) were revealed, with low data of the Berger-Parker index (0.15–0.61). With an anthropic load of more than 160 points, there is a sharp decrease in species diversity, evenness of species, and increased dominance pressure. Cluster analysis showed the division of bird communities into similarity groups according to the area of the parks, the proximity of parks to the outskirts of the city and large forest tracts of the area and specifics of the anthropic load.


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