Chewing lice (Insecta, Phthiraptera) and feather mites (Acari, Astigmata) associated with birds of the Cerrado in Central Brazil

The association of chewing lice and feather mites
with wild birds of riparian forest was investigated in the
Cerrado biome, Tocantins State, Brazil. The birds were captured
with mist nets between July 2008 and March 2009.
Ectoparasites were collected by the dust-ruffling technique.
Infestation rates were determined by the sampling prevalence,
abundance, and mean intensity of ectoparasites. A total of
1,479 chewing lice were collected that were distributed in 3
families and 18 genera, of which 15 taxa were identified to the
species level. Sixteen genera of feather mites were found, and
10 species were identified. A high prevalence rate of chewing
lice and feather mites was found in non-Passeriformes (66.7
and 50.0 %) and Passeriformes (57.8 and 75.6 %) birds. New
host–parasite associations were registered for two species of
chewing lice and for four species of feather mites, thus
expanding the geographical distribution in Brazil of six chewing
lice species. This is the first study of the ectoparasites of
wild birds to be conducted in this region of Brazil.