New records of small mammal hosts for five ectoparasite species from Sri Lanka

Ticks and fleas act as vectors for a number of zoonotic diseases, hence are medically important. Handful of studies carried out in Sri Lanka to date have reported 6 tick species and 11 flea species from murine rodents and shrews. Here, we report ticks and fleas infesting murine rodents and shrews co...

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Main Authors: Saranga Yathramullage, Umesha Dissanayake, Rupika S. Rajakaruna, Suyama Meegaskumbura
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka 2016-11-01
Series:Ceylon Journal of Science
Subjects:
Online Access:https://cjs.sljol.info/articles/7398
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author Saranga Yathramullage
Umesha Dissanayake
Rupika S. Rajakaruna
Suyama Meegaskumbura
author_facet Saranga Yathramullage
Umesha Dissanayake
Rupika S. Rajakaruna
Suyama Meegaskumbura
author_sort Saranga Yathramullage
collection DOAJ
description Ticks and fleas act as vectors for a number of zoonotic diseases, hence are medically important. Handful of studies carried out in Sri Lanka to date have reported 6 tick species and 11 flea species from murine rodents and shrews. Here, we report ticks and fleas infesting murine rodents and shrews collected from 18 selected sites in two districts in Sri Lanka, Kurunegala and Kandy. Two species of ticks (<em>Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides</em> and <em>Haemaphysalis spinigera</em>), an unidentified <em>Haemaphysalis</em> larva and a flea <em>Xenopsylla cheopis</em> were found from Kurunegala. From Kandy, four species of ticks (<em>R. haemaphysaloides, H. spinigera, Ixodis ceylonensis </em>and <em>Dermacentor auratus</em>) and three species of fleas (<em>X. cheopis, Stivalius phoberus </em>and<em> Stivalius aporus</em>) were collected. <em>Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides </em>was recorded from <em>Rattus rattus, Bandicota indica, Mus fernandoni, Golunda ellioti</em> and <em>Suncus murinus</em>;<em> H</em>. <em>spinigera </em>from<em> R. rattus, B. indica</em> and <em>S. murinus</em>;<em> I. ceylonensis </em>from<em> M. cervicolor </em>and <em>R. rattus</em>;<em> D. auratus </em>from<em> R. rattus</em>;<em> </em>both <em>X. cheopis </em>and<em> S. phoberus </em>were collected only from<em> R. rattus</em>;<em> S. aporus </em>from<em> R. rattus </em>and<em> M. fernandoni. </em>Though, all species of parasites reported here have been previously recorded from Sri Lanka, <em>D. auratus</em> and <em>H. spinigera </em>are reported for the first time from murine rodents and shrews. We also report here several new host records for the country:<em> R. haemaphysaloides </em>from<em> B. indica</em>, <em>G. ellioti </em>and<em> S. murinus</em>; <em>H. spinigera </em>from<em> B. indica </em>and<em> S. murinus</em>; <em>D. auratus </em>and<em> S. aporus</em> from<em> R. rattus</em>; larvae of <em>I. ceylonensis</em> from <em>M. cervicolor</em>.
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spelling doaj.art-91cafb205e444c478c90c834b7d427532022-12-22T02:43:19ZengFaculty of Science, University of Peradeniya, Sri LankaCeylon Journal of Science2513-28142513-230X2016-11-01453293710.4038/cjs.v45i3.73985614New records of small mammal hosts for five ectoparasite species from Sri LankaSaranga Yathramullage0Umesha Dissanayake1Rupika S. Rajakaruna2Suyama Meegaskumbura3University of Peradeniya, PeradeniyaUniversity of Peradeniya, PeradeniyaUniversity of Peradeniya, PeradeniyaUniversity of Peradeniya, PeradeniyaTicks and fleas act as vectors for a number of zoonotic diseases, hence are medically important. Handful of studies carried out in Sri Lanka to date have reported 6 tick species and 11 flea species from murine rodents and shrews. Here, we report ticks and fleas infesting murine rodents and shrews collected from 18 selected sites in two districts in Sri Lanka, Kurunegala and Kandy. Two species of ticks (<em>Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides</em> and <em>Haemaphysalis spinigera</em>), an unidentified <em>Haemaphysalis</em> larva and a flea <em>Xenopsylla cheopis</em> were found from Kurunegala. From Kandy, four species of ticks (<em>R. haemaphysaloides, H. spinigera, Ixodis ceylonensis </em>and <em>Dermacentor auratus</em>) and three species of fleas (<em>X. cheopis, Stivalius phoberus </em>and<em> Stivalius aporus</em>) were collected. <em>Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides </em>was recorded from <em>Rattus rattus, Bandicota indica, Mus fernandoni, Golunda ellioti</em> and <em>Suncus murinus</em>;<em> H</em>. <em>spinigera </em>from<em> R. rattus, B. indica</em> and <em>S. murinus</em>;<em> I. ceylonensis </em>from<em> M. cervicolor </em>and <em>R. rattus</em>;<em> D. auratus </em>from<em> R. rattus</em>;<em> </em>both <em>X. cheopis </em>and<em> S. phoberus </em>were collected only from<em> R. rattus</em>;<em> S. aporus </em>from<em> R. rattus </em>and<em> M. fernandoni. </em>Though, all species of parasites reported here have been previously recorded from Sri Lanka, <em>D. auratus</em> and <em>H. spinigera </em>are reported for the first time from murine rodents and shrews. We also report here several new host records for the country:<em> R. haemaphysaloides </em>from<em> B. indica</em>, <em>G. ellioti </em>and<em> S. murinus</em>; <em>H. spinigera </em>from<em> B. indica </em>and<em> S. murinus</em>; <em>D. auratus </em>and<em> S. aporus</em> from<em> R. rattus</em>; larvae of <em>I. ceylonensis</em> from <em>M. cervicolor</em>.https://cjs.sljol.info/articles/7398kurunegala, kandy, ectoparasites, murine rodents, shrews
spellingShingle Saranga Yathramullage
Umesha Dissanayake
Rupika S. Rajakaruna
Suyama Meegaskumbura
New records of small mammal hosts for five ectoparasite species from Sri Lanka
Ceylon Journal of Science
kurunegala, kandy, ectoparasites, murine rodents, shrews
title New records of small mammal hosts for five ectoparasite species from Sri Lanka
title_full New records of small mammal hosts for five ectoparasite species from Sri Lanka
title_fullStr New records of small mammal hosts for five ectoparasite species from Sri Lanka
title_full_unstemmed New records of small mammal hosts for five ectoparasite species from Sri Lanka
title_short New records of small mammal hosts for five ectoparasite species from Sri Lanka
title_sort new records of small mammal hosts for five ectoparasite species from sri lanka
topic kurunegala, kandy, ectoparasites, murine rodents, shrews
url https://cjs.sljol.info/articles/7398
work_keys_str_mv AT sarangayathramullage newrecordsofsmallmammalhostsforfiveectoparasitespeciesfromsrilanka
AT umeshadissanayake newrecordsofsmallmammalhostsforfiveectoparasitespeciesfromsrilanka
AT rupikasrajakaruna newrecordsofsmallmammalhostsforfiveectoparasitespeciesfromsrilanka
AT suyamameegaskumbura newrecordsofsmallmammalhostsforfiveectoparasitespeciesfromsrilanka