@article {96170, title = {Norwegian rock ptarmigan ectoparasites: chewing lice (Phthiraptera, Ischnocera) and feather mites (Astigmata, Psoroptidia)}, journal = {Norwegian Journal of Entomology}, volume = {1}, year = {2021}, month = {June 2021}, pages = {33-40}, abstract = {

Feather mites (Astigmata, Psoroptidia), quill mites (Prostigmata, Syringophilidae) and chewing lice (Phthiraptera) are prominent parts of avian ectoparasites communities. Much attention has been directed to chewing lice but much less to mite infestations. The present study determined the prevalence and species of feather mites among Norwegian rock ptarmigan. Ten rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta (Montin, 1781), six juveniles and four adults) collected in September 2012 at HOI, Odda: M\øyfallsnuten, Norway (EIS 32, UTM 32V 6691051N 33427E), were examined for ectoparasites. Four species of ectoparasites were found, including two feather mites and two chewing lice. The feather mites Tetraolichus lagopi Mironov et al., 2010 and Strelkoviacarus holoaspis Mironov et al., 2010, are species new to Norway. T. lagopi was highly prevalent (80\%), with a mean intensity of 9.1 mites, while both prevalence (30\%) and mean intensity (1.7 mites) were lower for S. holoaspis. Chewing lice Goniodes lagopi (Linnaeus, 1758) and Lagopoecus affinis (Children, 1836) are well known parasites of rock and willow ptarmigan (Lagopus lagopus) in Norway. Both G. lagopi (90\%) and L. affinis (70\%) were highly prevalent, with mean intensities of 7.9 and 4.6 lice, respectively. These rock ptarmigan ectoparasites are host-specific or parasitic to other closely related species (Lagopus, Tetrao, Lyrurus, and Falcipennis), and all have a very long history of association with their tetraonid (Tetraoninae) hosts reaching back to the North American heartland.

}, keywords = {coevolution, host specific, Norway, parasitism}, url = {http://www.entomologi.no/journals/nje/2021-1/pdf/nje-vol68-no1-2021-33-40.pdf}, author = {Karl Sk{\'\i}rnisson and Frode Bergan and {\'O}lafur K. Nielsen} } @article {94403, title = {Host-Parasite Interactions and Population Dynamics of Rock Ptarmigan}, journal = {PLOS ONE}, volume = {11}, year = {2016}, month = {Sep-11-2017}, pages = {e0165293}, abstract = {

Populations of rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta) in Iceland fluctuate in multiannual cycles with peak numbers c. every 10 years. We studied the ptarmigan-parasite community and how parasites relate to ptarmigan age, body condition, and population density. We collected 632 ptarmigan in northeast Iceland in early October from 2006 to 2012; 630 (99.7\%) were infected with at least one parasite species, 616 (98\%) with ectoparasites, and 536 (85\%) with endoparasites. We analysed indices for the combined parasite community (16 species) and known pathogenic parasites, two coccidian protozoans Eimeria muta and Eimeria rjupa, two nematodes Capillaria caudinflata and Trichostrongylus tenuis, one chewing louse Amyrsidea lagopi, and one skin mite Metamicrolichus islandicus. Juveniles overall had more ectoparasites than adults, but endoparasite levels were similar in both groups. Ptarmi- gan population density was associated with endoparasites, and in particular prevalence of the coccidian parasite Eimeria muta. Annual aggregation level of this eimerid fluctuated inversely with prevalence, with lows at prevalence peak and vice versa. Both prevalence and aggregation of E. muta tracked ptarmigan population density with a 1.5 year time lag. The time lag could be explained by the host specificity of this eimerid, host density depen- dent shedding of oocysts, and their persistence in the environment from one year to the next. Ptarmigan body condition was negatively associated with E. muta prevalence, an indi- cation of their pathogenicity, and this eimerid was also positively associated with ptarmigan mortality and marginally inversely with fecundity. There were also significant associations between fecundity and chewing louse Amyrsidea lagopi prevalence (negative), excess juve- nile mortality and nematode Capillaria caudinflata prevalence (positive), and adult mortality and skin mite Metamicrolichus islandicus prevalence (negative). Though this study is corre- lational, it provides strong evidence that E. muta through time-lag in prevalence with respect to host population size and by showing significant relations with host body condition, mortal- ity, and fecundity could destabilize ptarmigan population dynamics in Iceland.

}, keywords = {ectoparasite, Host-parasite interaction, Rock Ptarmigan}, doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0165293}, url = {http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0165293}, author = {Stenkewitz, Ute and {\'O}lafur K. Nielsen and Karl Sk{\'\i}rnisson and Stef{\'a}nsson, Gunnar}, editor = {Mark S. Boyce} } @article {94402, title = {Feather holes of rock ptarmigan are associated with amblyceran chewing lice}, journal = {Wildlife Biology}, year = {2017}, month = {Jan-06-2017}, pages = {wlb.00255}, abstract = {

Feather holes have traditionally been suggested to be feeding traces of chewing lice (mallophagans). There is controversy whether mallophagans are the real source of feather holes. We studied mallophagan infestations and holes in tail feathers of 528 rock ptarmigan Lagopus muta collected 2007\–2012 in northeast Iceland. Three mallophagans were found, Amyrsidea lagopi (prevalence 13\%), Goniodes lagopi (72\%) and Lagopoecus affinis (51\%). The prevalence of feather holes was 15\% and based on pattern the holes could be separated into two groups termed feather hole swarms (FHS), prevalence 9\%, and single holes (SH), prevalence 6\%. Holes for FHS were concentrated in the central tail feathers and decreased outwards, but holes for SH did not show any such pattern. There was a significant positive relationship between the number of holes for FHS birds and A. lagopi number, and the prevalence was similar. No other combinations of FHS or SH and the mal- lophagans indicated any relationship. The observed differences between FHS and SH suggest that feather holes have dif- ferent origin. Our thesis based on known feeding habits of amblycerans like A. lagopi is that the holes in FHS are created during the pin feather stage when the lice bite the pin feather to draw blood. The holes in FHS were often in lines parallel to the feather shaft and the distance between adjacent holes was similar to the daily growth band, and where apparent the holes were sitting in the light portion of the band suggesting diurnal rhythm in lice feeding activity. Concluding, feather holes in ptarmigan may have various origins, but there is a clear correlation between the presence and numbers of A. lagopi and FHS. This is a novel finding for the grouse family and the genus Amyrsidea and should be a valuable contribution to the studies of feather hole formation.

}, keywords = {Chewing lice, feather holes, Rock Ptarmigan}, issn = {0909-6396}, doi = {10.2981/wlb.00255}, url = {http://www.bioone.org/doi/10.2981/wlb.00255}, author = {Stenkewitz, Ute and {\'O}lafur K. Nielsen and Karl Sk{\'\i}rnisson and Stef{\'a}nsson, Gunnar} }