An annotated catalogue of the gamasid mites associated with small mammals in Asiatic Russia. The family Laelapidae s. str. (Acari: Mesostigmata: Gamasina)

Vinarski, Maxim V., Korallo-Vinarskaya, Natalia P. (2016): An annotated catalogue of the gamasid mites associated with small mammals in Asiatic Russia. The family Laelapidae s. str. (Acari: Mesostigmata: Gamasina). Zootaxa 4111 (3): 223-245, DOI: http://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4111.3.

An annotated catalogue of the gamasid mites associated with small mammals in Asiatic Russia. The family Hirstionyssidae (Acari: Mesostigmata: Gamasina)

Vinarski, Maxim V., Korallo-Vinarskaya, Natalia P. (2020): An annotated catalogue of the gamasid mites associated with small mammals in Asiatic Russia. The family Hirstionyssidae (Acari: Mesostigmata: Gamasina). Zootaxa 4838 (1): 102-118, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4838.1.

Ixodes apronophorus Schulze (Acari: Ixodida: Ixodidae): Distribution, Abundance, and Diversity of Its Mammal Hosts in West Siberia (Results of a 54-Year Long Surveillance)

Ixodes apronophorus Schulze, 1924, the marsh tick, belongs to a group of so-called “neglected” ixodid ticks, which remain underexplored compared to the most well-studied species of the genus Ixodes (I. ricinus, I. persulcatus). In this communication, we analyze and summarize the quantitative data on the abundance of this parasite, its geographical distribution, and the diversity of its small mammal hosts in the region of West Siberia (Asiatic Russia). The analyzed data represent a continuous series of observations made between 1953 and 2007, which constitutes one of the longest timeseries ever studied by acarologists. It is shown that the marsh tick in West Siberia is most common in the northern forest steppe and southern taiga landscape zones, being distributed south of 60° N. Among 24 species of small mammals registered as hosts for I. apronophorus in the studied region, three play the most important role: the European water vole (Arvicola amphibius), the tundra vole (Microtus oeconomus), and the Northern red-backed vole (Clethrionomys rutilus). The data characterizing parasitism of the marsh tick on these three hosts in various landscape zones and subzones are provided. We can report a weak albeit significant negative relationship between the abundances of I. apronophorus and its small mammal hosts. The possible explanation lies in the mismatch between the cycles of abundance characteristic of the tick and its hosts

Co-occurrence of ectoparasites on rodent hosts: Null model analyses of data from three continents

We studied patterns of species co-occurrence in communities of ectoparasitic arthropods (ixodid ticks, mesostigmate mites and fleas) harboured by rodent hosts from South Africa (Rhabdomys pumilio), South America (Scapteromys aquaticus and Oxymycterus rufus) and west Siberia (Apodemus agrarius, Microtus gregalis, Microtus oeconomus and Myodes rutilus) using null models. We compared frequencies of co-occurrences of parasite species or higher taxa across host individuals with those expected by chance. When non-randomness of parasite co-occurrences was detected, positive but not negative co-occurrences of parasite species or higher taxa prevailed (except for a single sample of mesostigmate mites from O. rufus). Frequency of detection of non-randomness of parasite co-occurrences differed among parasite taxa, being higher in fleas and lower in mites and ticks. This frequency differed also among host species independent of parasite taxon, being highest in Microtus species and lowest in O. rufus and S. aquaticus. We concluded that the pattern of species co-occurrence in ectoparasite communities on rodent hosts is predominantly positive, depends on life history of parasites and may be affected to a great extent by life history of a host.Fil: Krasnov, Boris R.. Ben Gurion University of the Negev; IsraelFil: Matthee, Sonja. Stellenbosch University; SudáfricaFil: Lareschi, Marcela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores; ArgentinaFil: Korallo Vinarskaya, Natalia P.. Omsk Research Institute of Natural Foci Infections; RusiaFil: Vinarski, Maxim V.. Omsk State Pedagogical University; Rusi

Data from: Temporal dynamics of direct reciprocal and indirect effects in a host-parasite network

1. Temporal variation in the direct and indirect influence that hosts and parasites exert on each other is still poorly understood. However, variation in species’ influence due to species and interactions turnover can have important consequences for host community dynamics and/or for parasite transmission dynamics, and eventually for the risk of zoonotic diseases. 2. We used data on a network of small mammals and their ectoparasites surveyed over six years to test hypotheses exploring (1) the temporal variability in direct and indirect influences species exert on each other in a community, and (2) the differences in temporal variability of direct/indirect influences between temporally persistent and temporally intermittent species. 3. We modelled the temporal variation in: (1) direct reciprocal influence between hosts and parasites (hosts providing resources to parasites and parasites exploiting the resources of hosts), using an asymmetry index; and (2) indirect influence among species within a community (e.g. facilitation of parasite infestation by other parasites), using betweenness centrality. We also correlated asymmetry and centrality to examine the relationship between them. 4. Network dynamics was determined by temporally persistent species but even those species had strong among-species heterogeneity in the temporal variation of the direct/indirect effects they exerted. In addition, there was a significant positive linear correlation between asymmetry and centrality. 5. We conclude that the temporal dynamics of host-parasite interactions is driven by temporally persistent hosts. However, even within this group of persistent species, some exhibit large temporal variation, such that the functional roles they play (e.g. in promoting parasite transmission) change over time. In addition, parasites having a large negative impact on hosts are also those facilitating the spread of other parasites through the entire host community. Our results provide new insights into community dynamics and can be applied in the management of antagonistic networks aimed at preventing disease outbreaks

Data from: Temporal dynamics of direct reciprocal and indirect effects in a host-parasite network

1. Temporal variation in the direct and indirect influence that hosts and parasites exert on each other is still poorly understood. However, variation in species’ influence due to species and interactions turnover can have important consequences for host community dynamics and/or for parasite transmission dynamics, and eventually for the risk of zoonotic diseases. 2. We used data on a network of small mammals and their ectoparasites surveyed over six years to test hypotheses exploring (1) the temporal variability in direct and indirect influences species exert on each other in a community, and (2) the differences in temporal variability of direct/indirect influences between temporally persistent and temporally intermittent species. 3. We modelled the temporal variation in: (1) direct reciprocal influence between hosts and parasites (hosts providing resources to parasites and parasites exploiting the resources of hosts), using an asymmetry index; and (2) indirect influence among species within a community (e.g. facilitation of parasite infestation by other parasites), using betweenness centrality. We also correlated asymmetry and centrality to examine the relationship between them. 4. Network dynamics was determined by temporally persistent species but even those species had strong among-species heterogeneity in the temporal variation of the direct/indirect effects they exerted. In addition, there was a significant positive linear correlation between asymmetry and centrality. 5. We conclude that the temporal dynamics of host-parasite interactions is driven by temporally persistent hosts. However, even within this group of persistent species, some exhibit large temporal variation, such that the functional roles they play (e.g. in promoting parasite transmission) change over time. In addition, parasites having a large negative impact on hosts are also those facilitating the spread of other parasites through the entire host community. Our results provide new insights into community dynamics and can be applied in the management of antagonistic networks aimed at preventing disease outbreaks

6-year host-parasite network data

Matrices of fleas and gamasid mites collected from the bodies of small mammalian hosts in the vicinity of the city of Novosibirsk (Russia; 54°51'16.92"N, 83° 6'24.48"E) during a six-year (1982-1987) survey. Matrix values are the mean abundance of an ectoparasite species on a host species, per year. Hosts are in rows, Ectoparasites are in column