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Parasites of two abundant sympatric rodent species in relation to host phylogeny and ecology

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Abstract

In the present study, two abundant sympatric rodent species (27 Apodemus flavicollis and 33 A. sylvaticus) were studied for their endo- and ectoparasite fauna. The rodents were trapped in Dormagen, a city in North Rhine–Westphalia, Germany. A total of 20 different parasites species were identified, 13 endoparasite (2 Digenea, 5 Cestoda and 7 Nematoda) and 7 ectoparasite (5 Insecta and 2 Arachnida) species. Thirteen parasite species were found inhabiting both rodent species. The predominant endoparasite species in both rodents was the nematode Pelodera strongyloides, followed by the nematode Heligmosomoides polygyrus and a Syphacia species. The flea Ctenophthalmus agyrtes was the dominant ectoparasite in both rodent species. A. flavicollis usually carried 1–7 ecto-/endoparasite species (mean 4.0), whereas A. sylvaticus were mostly infested with 1–9 (mean 4.4). The parasite diversity of A. flavicollis (H′ = 0.268, J = 0.097) was marginal lower in comparison to A. sylvaticus (H′ = 0.319, J = 0.110). The two rodent species examined show remarkable similarities in the composition of their endo- and ectoparasite fauna being directly related to their similar pattern of living in the investigated area.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Zoomorphology, Cell Biology and Parasitology, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Universitätsstr. 1, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany

    Sven Klimpel, Maike Förster & Günter Schmahl

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  1. Sven Klimpel
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  2. Maike Förster
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  3. Günter Schmahl
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Correspondence to Sven Klimpel.

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Klimpel, S., Förster, M. & Schmahl, G. Parasites of two abundant sympatric rodent species in relation to host phylogeny and ecology. Parasitol Res 100, 867–875 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-006-0368-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-006-0368-8

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