Spatial Distribution Pattern of Hoplopleura affinis (Anoplura: Hoplopleuridae) on its rat host, Apodemus chevrieri in Yunnan, China

Objective To determine the spatial pattern of Hoplopleura affinis among the individuals of its dominant rat host, Apodemus chevrieri and to illustrate how the ectoparasitic sucking louse individuals distribute among their rat host individuals. Methods Iwao's linear regression method and a significance test of random deviation were used to analyze the spatial distribution pattern of Hoplopleura affinis among the individuals of Apodemus chevrieri. Results Hoplopleura affinis is a common sucking louse species on the body surface of Apodemus chevrieri, a common wild rat species in Yunan Province of China. In the light of Iwao's method, the equation for Hoplopleura affinis is M*=3.10 + 6.69M (r=0.67, P<0.05). Both α and β in the equation (α= 3.10, β=6.69) are higher than 0 and 1, the border values for determining spatial pattern of populations. The F values is 8.77(F>F0.05(2,6), P<0.05) in the significance test of random. The spatial pattern of Hoplopleura affinis among the individuals of its dominant host (Apodemus chevrieri) is of aggregated distribution. Conclusions The result suggests that the individuals of Hoplopleura affinis do not evenly distribute among its rat host individuals, but have a tendency to gather together and form different individual louse groups on the body surface of the rat host.