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Host species influence on flea (Siphonaptera) infection parameters of terrestrial micromammals in a temperate forest of Mexico

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 November 2018

Fernando Aguilar Montiel Open the ORCID record for Fernando Aguilar Montiel [Opens in a new window] ,
Arturo Estrada-Torres ,
Roxana Acosta ,
Miguel Rubio-Godoy  and
Jorge Vázquez Open the ORCID record for Jorge Vázquez [Opens in a new window]
Fernando Aguilar Montiel
Affiliation:
Doctorado en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala, México Centro Tlaxcala de Biología de la Conducta, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Km 1.5 Carretera Tlaxcala-Puebla S/N, La Loma Xicohténcatl, C.P. 90070, Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala, México
Arturo Estrada-Torres*
Affiliation:
Centro Tlaxcala de Biología de la Conducta, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Km 1.5 Carretera Tlaxcala-Puebla S/N, La Loma Xicohténcatl, C.P. 90070, Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala, México
Roxana Acosta
Affiliation:
Museo de Zoología “Alfonso L. Herrera”, Departamento de Biología Evolutiva, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510 México, D.F., México
Miguel Rubio-Godoy
Affiliation:
Instituto de Ecología, A.C., Red de Biología Evolutiva, Ant. Carretera a Coatepec #351, El Haya, Xalapa, 91070 Veracruz, México
Jorge Vázquez*
Affiliation:
Centro Tlaxcala de Biología de la Conducta, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Km 1.5 Carretera Tlaxcala-Puebla S/N, La Loma Xicohténcatl, C.P. 90070, Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala, México
*
Author for correspondence: Jorge Vázquez, E-mail: jorge.vazquezp@uatx.mx; Arturo Estrada-Torres, E-mail: arturo.estrada.t@uatx.mx
Author for correspondence: Jorge Vázquez, E-mail: jorge.vazquezp@uatx.mx; Arturo Estrada-Torres, E-mail: arturo.estrada.t@uatx.mx
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Abstract

Studies of abundance and distribution of organisms are fundamental to ecology. The identity of host species is known to be one of the major factors influencing ectoparasitic flea abundance, but explanations are still needed regarding how host taxa influence abundance parameters of different flea species. This study was carried out at La Malinche National Park (LMNP), Tlaxcala, Mexico, where previously 11 flea species had been recorded on 8 host species. Our aims were to list micromammal flea species, to determine flea infection parameters [flea prevalence (FP) and flea mean abundance (FMA)] and to analyse the influence of host species on these parameters. A total of 16 species of fleas were identified from 1178 fleas collected from 14 species of 1274 micromammals captured with Sherman® traps from March 2014 to December 2015 in 18 sites at LMNP. Some host species influence FP and FMA, in particular, Microtus mexicanus and Peromyscus melanotis showed particularly higher infection values than other host species. Plusaetis aztecus and Plusaetis sibynus were identified as the most abundant flea species.

Keywords

CeratophyllidaeCtenophthalmidaeectoparasiteHystrichopsyllidaemousePeromyscusPlusaetis
Type
Research Article
Information
Parasitology , Volume 146 , Issue 5 , April 2019 , pp. 670 - 677
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Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2018 

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