Llano Horwald A B, Robayo-Sánchez Laura N, Ramírez-Hernández Alejandro, Cortés-Vecino Jesús A, Gómez-Ruiz Daisy A, Aguirre-Ramírez Julio C
Grupo de Investigación GINVER, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria, Corporación Universitaria Remington, Medellín, Colombia.
Grupo de Investigación Parasitología Veterinaria, Laboratorio de Parasitología Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia.
Med Vet Entomol. 2024 Dec;38(4):472-481. doi: 10.1111/mve.12743. Epub 2024 Jul 16.
Several species of ectoparasites, including chewing lice and mites are closely associated with their hosts. The Andean condor (Vultur gryphus) is globally listed as vulnerable by the IUCN and its population has been steadily declining in recent decades suggesting a potential extinction of associated entomofauna. The purpose of this study was to record the species of ectoparasites infesting three individuals of Andean condor found dead in the 'Páramo del Almorzadero' Santander Department, Northeastern Colombia. One juvenile (male) and two adults (male and female) Andean condors received for necropsy were carefully examined for ectoparasite infestation. Specimens were collected and preserved in ethanol (70%) for taxonomic studies. Morphologic identification and morphometric records were made under light microscopy. Some specimens were also prepared for scanning electron microscopy and others were subjected to DNA extraction to amplify and obtain sequences of the cytochrome-C oxidase subunit I (COI) gene for phylogenetic analyses. Lice were collected from the juvenile condor and the adult female and identified as Falcolipeurus assesor (Phthiraptera: Ischnocera) in the juvenile condor (8 females, 19 males and 8 nymphs) and the adult (1 female); Colpocephalum trichosum (Phthiraptera: Amblycera) in the juvenile (19 females, 24 males and 1 nymph) and the adult (2 females, 2 males and 3 nymphs); and Cuculiphilus zonatus (Phthiraptera: Amblycera) in the juvenile (40 females, 43 males and 15 nymphs) and the adult (1 male and 2 nymphs). Moreover, one mite collected from the juvenile condor was identified as Ancyralges cathartinus (Acari: Astigmata) (1 female). Morphometric data was obtained for the adult stages of F. assesor (6 females and 13 males), C. trichosum (9 females and 9 males) and C. zonatus (10 females and 10 males). We obtained the first DNA sequences of COI for F. assessor, and C. trichosum, where phylogenetic tree analysis showed that F. assessor is more closely related to Falcolipeurus marginalis, and C. trichosum to Colpocephalum kelloggi. This represents the first record of parasites in Andean condor from Colombia and contributes to the knowledge of chewing lice and mites associated with an endemic and endangered bird species. Further studies on Andean condor ectoparasites should be focused on documenting host-parasite interactions and potential health impacts in these wild birds.
包括嚼虱和螨虫在内的几种外寄生虫与它们的宿主密切相关。安第斯神鹫（Vultur gryphus）在全球被国际自然保护联盟列为易危物种，其种群数量在近几十年一直在稳步下降，这表明相关昆虫群落可能会灭绝。本研究的目的是记录在哥伦比亚东北部桑坦德省“阿尔莫尔萨德罗帕拉莫”发现死亡的三只安第斯神鹫身上寄生的外寄生虫种类。对一只幼年（雄性）和两只成年（雄性和雌性）安第斯神鹫进行尸检时，仔细检查了它们是否有外寄生虫感染。采集标本并保存在乙醇（70%）中用于分类学研究。在光学显微镜下进行形态学鉴定和形态测量记录。一些标本还制备用于扫描电子显微镜观察，其他标本则进行DNA提取，以扩增并获得细胞色素C氧化酶亚基I（COI）基因的序列用于系统发育分析。从幼年神鹫和成年雌性神鹫身上采集到的虱子被鉴定为评估隼虱（Phthiraptera: Ischnocera），幼年神鹫身上有8只雌性、19只雄性和8只若虫，成年神鹫身上有1只雌性；幼年神鹫和成年神鹫身上的毛首头虱（Phthiraptera: Amblycera），幼年神鹫身上有19只雌性、24只雄性和1只若虫，成年神鹫身上有2只雌性、2只雄性和3只若虫；幼年神鹫和成年神鹫身上的带纹库蚊虱（Phthiraptera: Amblycera），幼年神鹫身上有40只雌性、43只雄性和15只若虫，成年神鹫身上有1只雄性和2只若虫。此外，从幼年神鹫身上采集到的一只螨虫被鉴定为 Cathartinus 螨（Acari: Astigmata）（1只雌性）。获得了评估隼虱、毛首头虱成年阶段的形态测量数据（评估隼虱6只雌性和13只雄性、毛首头虱9只雌性和9只雄性）以及带纹库蚊虱（10只雌性和10只雄性）。我们获得了评估隼虱和毛首头虱的首个COI基因序列，系统发育树分析表明，评估隼虱与边缘隼虱关系更密切，毛首头虱与凯氏头虱关系更密切。这是哥伦比亚安第斯神鹫身上寄生虫的首次记录，有助于了解与一种地方性濒危鸟类相关的嚼虱和螨虫。对安第斯神鹫外寄生虫的进一步研究应集中在记录这些野生鸟类中的宿主 - 寄生虫相互作用和潜在的健康影响。
