Parasite fauna of rodents (Murinae) from El Hierro (Canary Islands, Spain): a multidisciplinary approach

2012 ◽  
Vol 57 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos Feliu ◽  
Mercedes López ◽  
María Gómez ◽  
Jordi Torres ◽  
Santiago Sánchez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Canary Islands ◽  
Mus Musculus ◽  
Multidisciplinary Approach ◽  
Rattus Rattus ◽  
Parasite Fauna ◽  
Mus Musculus Domesticus ◽  
El Hierro ◽  
Black Rat ◽  
Nematode Parasites ◽  
Parasite Biodiversity

AbstractThe parasite fauna (protozoa, helminths and insects) of the two most widespread Murinae rodents in El Hierro (Canary Islands, Spain), the black rat (Rattus rattus) and the house mouse (Mus musculus domesticus) was studied. Faunistic, ecological, ecotoxicological data, as well as information on the biology of some nematode parasites of R. rattus are provided. The present work is unprecedented in the Canary Islands, and provides the first data on the parasite biodiversity in Murinae from the archipelago. Concerning to parasitofaunas stands out: a) impoverishment of biodiversity of helminths respect of which have the same hosts in other islands; b) increasing the number of species of Siphonaptera, even compared with flea species that parasitize the same hosts from continental biotopes.

Presence of Stenoponia tripectinata (Tiraboschi, 1902) (Siphonaptera, Ctenophtalmidae) in murine (Rodentia) from the Canary Islands

2012 ◽  
Vol 57 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Santiago Vicente ◽  
Maria Gómez López
Keyword(s):  
Canary Islands ◽  
North Africa ◽  
Mus Musculus ◽  
Rattus Rattus ◽  
Flea Species ◽  
Gran Canaria ◽  
El Hierro ◽  
La Palma ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
La Gomera

AbstractThis article reports the geographical and host distribution of the flea Stenoponia tripectinata on the Canary Islands. S. tripectinata is widely distributed throughout the Mediterranean and North Africa as a parasite of Muridae rodents. To date, Gran Canaria is the only island of the archipelago where S. tripectinata had been found. In this report, S. tripectinata has appeared parasitizing 116 specimens of Mus musculus out of a total of 660, and only 2 Rattus rattus of 215 captured. All the trapped Muridae hosts found to be parasitized by S. tripectinata came from humid biotopes. The results showed that S. tripectinata is present on all the western Canary Islands and on one of the eastern islands, Gran Canaria, the only island already reported. The detection of S. tripectinata on El Hierro, La Palma, La Gomera and Tenerife represents the first records of this flea species on those Canary Islands.

Late-Holocene asynchronous extinction of endemic mammals on the eastern Canary Islands

The Holocene ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 22 (7) ◽  
pp. 801-808 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan Carlos Rando ◽  
Josep Antoni Alcover ◽  
Jacques Michaux ◽  
Rainer Hutterer ◽  
Juan Francisco Navarro
Keyword(s):  
Canary Islands ◽  
Late Holocene ◽  
Middle Age ◽  
Rattus Rattus ◽  
Tyto Alba ◽  
Isolated Populations ◽  
European Contact ◽  
Black Rat ◽  
Local Extinctions ◽  
Ams Dating

The Lava mouse ( Malpaisomys insularis), and the Canarian shrew ( Crocidura canariensis) are endemic of the Eastern Canary Islands and islets. The former is extinct while Canarian shrew survives in the two main islands and two islets. In order to provide insights regarding causes and processes contributing to the extinction of these endemic mammals: (i) we established last occurrence dates for Lava mouse, and first records for two exotic species – House mouse ( Mus musculus) and Black rat ( Rattus rattus) – through direct 14C AMS dating of collagen from bones; (ii) we analysed recent material from Barn owl ( Tyto alba gracilirostris) roosting sites to evaluate its impact on Canarian shrew in the presence of introduced rodents. The new data strongly suggest that the extinction of Lava mouse was the result of an accumulative process of independent disappearances (or ‘local extinctions’) affecting the isolated populations. The timing of the introduction of the Black rat on the main islands (before Middle Age European contact in Lanzarote and after Middle Age European contact in Fuerteventura) matches with the last occurrence dates for the presence of Lava mouse on these islands, and are very probably their cause. The losses of these Lava mouse populations occurred in an asynchronous way, spreading across at least six centuries. On small islands, hyperpredation emerges as the most plausible process to explain the disappearance of the Lava mouse in the absence of rat populations, although stochastic processes can not be definitively excluded.

scholarly journals Diet of an Eastern Grass Owl Tyto longimembris in northern New South Wales

2021 ◽  
Vol 38 ◽  
pp. 44-48
Author(s):  
Stephen Kearney ◽  
Keyword(s):  
House Mouse ◽  
Mus Musculus ◽  
National Park ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Rattus Rattus ◽  
Black Rat ◽  
South Wales

A single Eastern Grass Owl Tyto longimembris was observed in Bundjalung National Park, New South Wales, in September 2019. Pellets (n = 17) collected from its roost contained the remains of House Mouse Mus musculus, Grassland Melomys Melomys burtoni, Black Rat Rattus rattus, Swamp Rat R. lutreolus, Fawn-footed Melomys Melomys cervinipes, Common Planigale Planigale maculata, Eastern Blossom Bat Syconycteris australis and honeyeater Phylidonyris sp. The most interesting findings were the Eastern Blossom Bat (the first published record of a bat in the diet of an Eastern Grass Owl in Australia) and that one of the Grassland Melomys specimens had pink bones.

Patterns of helminth infections in Rattus rattus and Mus musculus from two Mayan communities in Mexico

2019 ◽  
Vol 94 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.A. Panti-May ◽  
E.E. Palomo-Arjona ◽  
Y.M. Gurubel-González ◽  
R.C. Barrientos-Medina ◽  
M.C. Digiani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mus Musculus ◽  
Linear Models ◽  
Rattus Rattus ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Hymenolepis Diminuta ◽  
Nippostrongylus Brasiliensis ◽  
Intensity Of Infection ◽  
Gastrointestinal Helminths ◽  
Trichuris Muris ◽  
Black Rat

Abstract The black rat Rattus rattus and the house mouse Mus musculus are two commensal rodent species that harbour and shed zoonotic pathogens, including helminths. The aim of this survey was to study the helminth community and the patterns of infections in R. rattus and M. musculus from two Mayan communities in Mexico. Gastrointestinal helminths were isolated from 322 M. musculus and 124 R. rattus, including Gongylonema neoplasticum, Hassalstrongylus aduncus, Hassalstrongylus musculi, Hydatigera taeniaeformis metacestode, Hymenolepis diminuta, Nippostrongylus brasiliensis, Oligacanthorhynchidae gen. sp., Syphacia muris, Syphacia obvelata, Rodentolepis microstoma and Trichuris muris. The overall richness of helminths was seven in R. rattus and six in M. musculus. The results of generalized linear models showed that juvenile rodents had lower probabilities of being infected with G. neoplasticum, H. taeniaeformis and H. musculi than adult rodents. A positive association between the prevalence of S. muris and rat abundance was found. The intensity of infection with S. muris was higher in the rainy season than in the dry season; the opposite result was found for H. musculi infection. Male R. rattus harboured more S. muris specimens. The intensity of infection with T. muris was inversely associated with mouse abundance. The presence of the zoonotic H. diminuta, as well as H. taeniaeformis and R. microstoma in rodent populations indicates that there is risk of transmission, and that their entire life cycle occurs in the study area.

scholarly journals Prevalence and genotype identification of Toxoplasma gondii in suburban rodents collected at waste disposal sites

Parasite ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 26 ◽  
pp. 27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vladimir Ivovic ◽  
Sandra Potusek ◽  
Elena Buzan
Keyword(s):  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Brain Tissue ◽  
Mus Musculus ◽  
Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction ◽  
Rattus Rattus ◽  
Wood Mouse ◽  
Apodemus Sylvaticus ◽  
Tissue Samples ◽  
Black Rat ◽  
Two Samples

To assess the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in native and commensal rodents as indicators of environmental pollution, we analyzed brain tissue from small mammals collected on legal and illegal waste sites in the Slovenian and Croatian parts of Istria. A total of 136 animals and five species of the family Muridae were analyzed: black rat (Rattus rattus), domestic mouse (Mus musculus), wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus), striped field mouse (Apodemus agrarius), and yellow-necked mouse (Apodemus flavicollis). Using quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR), T. gondii DNA was detected in four homogenized brain tissue samples (2.94%), from all of the analyzed species, except black rat. Out of these, two samples, domestic mouse (Mus musculus) and wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus) had sufficient DNA for genotyping of T. gondii isolates in which we demonstrated the presence of clonal type II using RFLP PCR with four markers (SAG1, SAG2, GRA6 and GRA7). Three of four infected animals (75%) were collected on dumpsites.

scholarly journals Differential immune gene expression associated with contemporary range expansion in two invasive rodents in Senegal

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathalie Charbonnel ◽  
Maxime Galan ◽  
Caroline Tatard ◽  
Anne Loiseau ◽  
Christophe Diagne ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Differential Expression ◽  
House Mouse ◽  
Expression Profiles ◽  
Rattus Rattus ◽  
Gene Expression Profiles ◽  
Invasion Success ◽  
Immune Gene ◽  
Mus Musculus Domesticus ◽  
Black Rat

Abstract Biological invasions are major anthropogenic changes associated with threats to biodiversity and health. However, what determines the successful establishment and spread of introduced populations remains unclear. Here, we explore several hypotheses linking invasion success and immune phenotype traits, including those based on the evolution of increased competitive ability concept. We compared gene expression profiles between anciently and recently established populations of two major invading species, the house mouse Mus musculus domesticus and the black rat Rattus rattus, in Senegal (West Africa). Transcriptome analyses identified differential expression between anciently and recently established populations for 364 mouse genes and 83 rat genes. All immune-related genes displaying differential expression along the mouse invasion route were overexpressed at three of the four recently invaded sites studied. Complement activation pathway genes were overrepresented among these genes. By contrast, no particular immunological process was found to be overrepresented among the differentially expressed genes of black rat. Changes in transcriptome profiles were thus observed along invasion routes, but with different specific patterns between the two invasive species. These changes may be driven by increases in infection risks at sites recently invaded by the house mouse, and by stochastic events associated with colonization history for the black rat. These results constitute a first step toward the identification of immune eco-evolutionary processes potentially involved in the invasion success of these two rodent species.

scholarly journals Differential immune gene expression associated with contemporary range expansion of two invasive rodents in Senegal

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathalie Charbonnel ◽  
Maxime Galan ◽  
Caroline Tatard ◽  
Anne Loiseau ◽  
Christophe Amidi Diagne ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
House Mouse ◽  
Expression Profiles ◽  
Rattus Rattus ◽  
Invasion Success ◽  
Phenotypic Traits ◽  
Immune Gene ◽  
Mus Musculus Domesticus ◽  
Black Rat ◽  
Invasion Routes

BackgroundBiological invasions are major anthropogenic changes associated with threats to biodiversity and health. What determines the successful establishment of introduced populations still remains unsolved. Here we explore the appealing assertion that invasion success relies on immune phenotypic traits that would be advantageous in recently invaded sites.ResultsWe compared gene expression profiles between anciently and recently established populations of two major invading species, the house mouse Mus musculus domesticus and the black rat Rattus rattus, in Senegal. Transcriptome analyses revealed respectively 364 and 83 differentially expressed genes along the mouse and rat invasion routes. Among them, 20.0% and 10.6% were annotated with functions related to immunity. All immune-related genes detected along the mouse invasion route were over-expressed in recently invaded sites. Genes of the complement activation pathway were over-represented. Results were less straightforward when considering the black rat as no particular immunological process was over-represented.ConclusionsWe revealed changes in transcriptome profiles along invasion routes. Patterns differed between both invasive species. These changes potentially be driven by increased infection risks in recently invaded sites for the house mouse and stochastic events associated with colonization history for the black rat. These results provide a first step in identifying the immune ecoevolutionary processes potentially involved in invasion success.

scholarly journals Propagation du Lyssavirus chez les petits mammifères (Muridae et Soricidae) dans la Préfecture de Kindia, République de Guinée (Basse Guinée)

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 860-868
Author(s):  
Namory Keita ◽  
Raphael Dore ◽  
Aboubacar Hady Toure ◽  
Kerfalla Kourouma ◽  
Mamadou Cellou Balde
Keyword(s):  
Small Mammals ◽  
Mus Musculus ◽  
Rattus Rattus ◽  
Agricultural Fields ◽  
State Of Health ◽  
Republic Of Guinea ◽  
Black Rat ◽  
Santé De La Population ◽  
Cricetomys Gambianus ◽  
The Brain

L’étude porte sur la propagation du Lyssavirus chez les petits mammifères dans la Préfecture de Kindia (Basse Guinée) a été réalisée entre avril 2015 et mars 2016 dans les différents biotopes (Maisons habitées, Forêts-Buissons, Champs agricoles, Entrepôts et Berges) et qui a pour objectif: Contribuée à l’amélioration de l’état de santé de la population. Pendant cette période d’étude, 412 rongeurs repartis en 12 espèces ont été capturées à savoir le rat d’herbe-Arvicanthis rufinus, les rats-Cricetomys gambianus, les rats-Crocidurinae spp., les souris rayées-Lemniscomys striatus, Lophuromys ansorgei, Lophuromys sikapusi, le rat à mamelles multiples-Mastomys spp., souris de maison-Mus musculus, Pelomys fallax, le rat de forêt-Praomys rostratus, le rat noir-Rattus rattus et le Malacomys edyardsi spp. Les plus répandus sont les Mastomys, Rattus rattus, Mus musculus et Cricetomys gambianus. En saison sèche, le nombre de rongeurs capturés dans la préfecture de Kindia a atteint 292 (71%) contre 120 (29%) rongeurs en saison pluvieuse. Pour des fins de recherches virologiques, le cerveau de 221 rongeurs a été prélevé et analysé parmi eux, 18 (8%) ont été trouvé porteurs de l’ARN de Lyssavirus. English title: Spread of Lyssavirus among small mammals (Muridae and Soricidae) in Kindia prefecture, Republic of Guinea (Lower Guinea) The study focuses on the spread of Lyssavirus among small mammals in the Prefecture of Kindia (Lower Guinea) was carried out between April 2015 and March 2016 in the different biotopes (inhabited houses, Forests-Bushes, Agricultural fields, Warehouses and Banks) and which has for objective: Contributed to the improvement of the state of health of the population. During this period, 412 rodents were caught in 12 species including the grass rat-Arvicanthis rufinus, the Cricetomys gambianus-rats, the Crocidurinae spp rats, striped mice Lemniscomys striatus, Lophuromys ansorgei, Lophuromys sikapusi, the multiple-teat rat-Mastomys spp., house mouse-Mus musculus, Pelomys fallax, forest rat-Praomys rostratus, black rat-Rattus rattus, and Malacomys edwardsi spp. The most common are: Mastomys spp., Rattus rattus, Mus musculus and Cricetomys gambianus. In the dry season, the number of rodents caught in the prefecture of Kindia reached 292 (71%) against 120 (29%) rodents caught during the rainy season. For virological research purposes, the brain of 221 rodents was collected and analyzed among them 18 rodents (8%) were found to carry Lyssavirus RNA.

scholarly journals First Coronavirus Active Survey in Rodents From the Canary Islands

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abir Monastiri ◽  
Natalia Martín-Carrillo ◽  
Pilar Foronda ◽  
Elena Izquierdo-Rodríguez ◽  
Carles Feliu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Canary Islands ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Rattus Rattus ◽  
House Mice ◽  
Fecal Samples ◽  
El Hierro ◽  
Biodiversity Preservation ◽  
Probable Origin ◽  
Urban And Rural Areas

Since the beginning of the 21st century five new coronaviruses inducing respiratory diseases in humans have been reported. These emergences has promoted research on coronaviruses in wildlife. We started the first eco-epidemiological study to screen the presence of coronaviruses circulating in mice and rats of four Canary Islands. Between 2015 and 2019, we obtained fecal samples of three rodent species (150 Mus musculus, 109 Rattus rattus and 1 Rattus norvegicus) captured in urban and rural areas. Fecal samples were analyzed by nRT-PCR and the resulting sequences were compared to known diversity using Bayesian phylogenetic methods. We only found coronavirus RNA in house mice from El Hierro (10.53%), Tenerife (7.02%) and Lanzarote (5.26%) islands. All coronaviruses detected belong to the species Murine coronavirus belonging to the genus Betacoronavirus and subgenus Embecovirus, being all positive house mice captured in anthropogenic environment. The phylogenetic analysis shows that murine coronaviruses from the Canary Islands are related to European murine coronaviruses. Albeit data are still scarce in the region, the most probable origin of M. coronavirus present in the Canary Islands is continental Europe. According to temporal Bayesian phylogenetics, the differentiation between Canary and continental viruses seems to be quite recent. Moreover, murine coronaviruses from El Hierro, Tenerife and Lanzarote islands tend to segregate in different clades. This enlightens the potential role of rodents or other possibly invasive species in disseminating infectious diseases to remote places through exchanges with the continent. It is important to consider these aspects in the sanitary control of islands, for health and biodiversity preservation concerns.

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