Back from Exile? First Records of Chewing Lice (<i>Lutridia exilis</i>; Ischnocera; Mallophaga) in Growing Eurasian Otter (<i>Lutra lutra</i>) Populations from Northern Germany
Arthropod ectoparasites of aquatic wildlife often have complex relationships with their host species that have developed over long evolutionary time scales. Specialist parasite occurrence might depend on these hosts’ distributions. Eurasian otter (<i>Lutra lutra</i>) populations are reco...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-04-01
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| Series: | Pathogens |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/12/4/587 |
| _version_ | 1827744119423762432 |
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| author | Simon Rohner Joy Ometere Boyi Valentina Artemeva Olaf Zinke Astrid Kiendl Ursula Siebert Kristina Lehnert |
| author_facet | Simon Rohner Joy Ometere Boyi Valentina Artemeva Olaf Zinke Astrid Kiendl Ursula Siebert Kristina Lehnert |
| author_sort | Simon Rohner |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Arthropod ectoparasites of aquatic wildlife often have complex relationships with their host species that have developed over long evolutionary time scales. Specialist parasite occurrence might depend on these hosts’ distributions. Eurasian otter (<i>Lutra lutra</i>) populations are recovering in Northern German federal states, such as Schleswig-Holstein and Lower Saxony. Chewing lice (<i>Lutridia exilis</i>; Ischnocera; Mallophaga) are considered otter-specific yet rare parasites in their known range. In 2022, they were recorded for the first time on nine otters found dead in Northern Germany. All otters originated from the years 2021–2022 and were dissected during population health monitoring programs in 2022. Females (<i>n</i> = 6) were 0–5.5 years old and showed signs of disease in five cases. Males (<i>n</i> = 3), in contrast, were 0–1.6 years old and showed disease in a single case. Individual lice intensity of infection ranged from 1 to 75 specimens per otter. No direct adverse health effects of chewing lice on the otters were noted. <i>Lutridia exilis</i> morphological characteristics were documented and measurements were taken to study specialized adaptations that allow lice to attach to semi-aquatic otters. In addition, morphology was compared between lice from different geographical regions and specimens from previous reports. A region of the COI mDNA was amplified to molecularly characterize <i>L. exilis</i> for the first time and detect genetic differences between otter lice populations in Germany. It is believed that specialist parasites reduce in numbers even before their host populations decline. Recovering otter populations in Northern Germany could be an example of a reverse effect, where the comeback of a host species results in the return of a specialist parasite, which reflects an ultimate boost in overall species biodiversity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T04:39:29Z |
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| id | doaj.art-9257b5ab62204a52a01dc98104946111 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-0817 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T04:39:29Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pathogens |
| spelling | doaj.art-9257b5ab62204a52a01dc981049461112023-11-17T20:48:51ZengMDPI AGPathogens2076-08172023-04-0112458710.3390/pathogens12040587Back from Exile? First Records of Chewing Lice (<i>Lutridia exilis</i>; Ischnocera; Mallophaga) in Growing Eurasian Otter (<i>Lutra lutra</i>) Populations from Northern GermanySimon Rohner0Joy Ometere Boyi1Valentina Artemeva2Olaf Zinke3Astrid Kiendl4Ursula Siebert5Kristina Lehnert6Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Werftstrasse 6, 25761 Buesum, GermanyInstitute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Werftstrasse 6, 25761 Buesum, GermanyInstitute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Werftstrasse 6, 25761 Buesum, GermanyMuseum der Westlausitz Kamenz, 01717 Kamenz, GermanyAktion Fischotterschutz e.V., Otterzentrum Hankensbüttel, 29386 Hankensbüttel, GermanyInstitute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Werftstrasse 6, 25761 Buesum, GermanyInstitute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Werftstrasse 6, 25761 Buesum, GermanyArthropod ectoparasites of aquatic wildlife often have complex relationships with their host species that have developed over long evolutionary time scales. Specialist parasite occurrence might depend on these hosts’ distributions. Eurasian otter (<i>Lutra lutra</i>) populations are recovering in Northern German federal states, such as Schleswig-Holstein and Lower Saxony. Chewing lice (<i>Lutridia exilis</i>; Ischnocera; Mallophaga) are considered otter-specific yet rare parasites in their known range. In 2022, they were recorded for the first time on nine otters found dead in Northern Germany. All otters originated from the years 2021–2022 and were dissected during population health monitoring programs in 2022. Females (<i>n</i> = 6) were 0–5.5 years old and showed signs of disease in five cases. Males (<i>n</i> = 3), in contrast, were 0–1.6 years old and showed disease in a single case. Individual lice intensity of infection ranged from 1 to 75 specimens per otter. No direct adverse health effects of chewing lice on the otters were noted. <i>Lutridia exilis</i> morphological characteristics were documented and measurements were taken to study specialized adaptations that allow lice to attach to semi-aquatic otters. In addition, morphology was compared between lice from different geographical regions and specimens from previous reports. A region of the COI mDNA was amplified to molecularly characterize <i>L. exilis</i> for the first time and detect genetic differences between otter lice populations in Germany. It is believed that specialist parasites reduce in numbers even before their host populations decline. Recovering otter populations in Northern Germany could be an example of a reverse effect, where the comeback of a host species results in the return of a specialist parasite, which reflects an ultimate boost in overall species biodiversity.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/12/4/587<i>Lutridia exilis</i>eurasian otterspecialist parasitespopulation healthbiodiversity |
| spellingShingle | Simon Rohner Joy Ometere Boyi Valentina Artemeva Olaf Zinke Astrid Kiendl Ursula Siebert Kristina Lehnert Back from Exile? First Records of Chewing Lice (<i>Lutridia exilis</i>; Ischnocera; Mallophaga) in Growing Eurasian Otter (<i>Lutra lutra</i>) Populations from Northern Germany Pathogens <i>Lutridia exilis</i> eurasian otter specialist parasites population health biodiversity |
| title | Back from Exile? First Records of Chewing Lice (<i>Lutridia exilis</i>; Ischnocera; Mallophaga) in Growing Eurasian Otter (<i>Lutra lutra</i>) Populations from Northern Germany |
| title_full | Back from Exile? First Records of Chewing Lice (<i>Lutridia exilis</i>; Ischnocera; Mallophaga) in Growing Eurasian Otter (<i>Lutra lutra</i>) Populations from Northern Germany |
| title_fullStr | Back from Exile? First Records of Chewing Lice (<i>Lutridia exilis</i>; Ischnocera; Mallophaga) in Growing Eurasian Otter (<i>Lutra lutra</i>) Populations from Northern Germany |
| title_full_unstemmed | Back from Exile? First Records of Chewing Lice (<i>Lutridia exilis</i>; Ischnocera; Mallophaga) in Growing Eurasian Otter (<i>Lutra lutra</i>) Populations from Northern Germany |
| title_short | Back from Exile? First Records of Chewing Lice (<i>Lutridia exilis</i>; Ischnocera; Mallophaga) in Growing Eurasian Otter (<i>Lutra lutra</i>) Populations from Northern Germany |
| title_sort | back from exile first records of chewing lice i lutridia exilis i ischnocera mallophaga in growing eurasian otter i lutra lutra i populations from northern germany |
| topic | <i>Lutridia exilis</i> eurasian otter specialist parasites population health biodiversity |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/12/4/587 |
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