Communities of ectoparasitic arthropods associated with the root vole Microtus oeconomus in north-eastern Poland

Ectoparasitic arthropods communities associated with root voles Microtus oeconomus (Pallas, 1776) were analysed in north-eastern Poland. The first M. oeconomus parasites recorded in the history were the fleas Palaeopsylla similis Dampf, Ctenophthalmus congerer Rothschild, C. bisoctodentatus Kolenati, and C. solutus Jordan et Rothschild. Ctenophthalmus uncinatus (Wagner) and Doratopsylla dasycnema (Rothschild) fleas and the Ixodes apronophorus Schulze tick were recorded on M. oeconomus in Poland for the first time. These species are relatively rare in Poland and specific to other species of small mammals. The incidence of M. oeconomus infestations with I. apronophorus, D. dasycnema and C. uncinatus ranged from 0.5 to 0.8 %, respectively. There are large differences in the infestation of Dermacentor reticulatus larvae and nymphs between July and August. In July, D. reticulatus may be considered the dominant ectoparasite species, in August, it is partly replaced by I. ricinus and fleas and is subdominant.

INFLUENCE OF NATURAL FACTORS ON THE NUMBER OF IXODIC TICKS OF THE GENUS DERMACENTOR IN TYUMEN REGION

At present, the ixodofauna of the Tyumen region is represented by six species of ixodid ticks – these are Ixodes persulcatus Schulze, 1930; Dermacentor reticulatus Fabricius, 1794 (D. pictus, Hermann, 1804); D. marginatus Sulz, 1776; I. apronophorus P. Sch., 1924; I. (Exopalpiger) trianguliceps Bir., 1895 and I. (Ceratixodes) plumbeus, Kirsch., 1936. Three species of ixodid ticks parasitize cattle: I. persulcatus, D. reticulatus, D. marginatus. The remaining three species of ticks, Ixodes apronophorus, Ixodes strianguliceps, and Ixodes plumbeus, belong to the nest-like parasitic type and therefore are less dangerous parasites for large mammals. The most widespread ticks of the genus Ixodes and Dermacentor in the context of all natural-geographical zones of the region are ticks of the genus Dermacentor, their dominance index was 54.8%. As a result of observation, it was noted that the temperature and humidity of the air affect the activity of ixodid ticks of the genus Dermacentor in nature. Thus, the peak of ixodid activity in the spring period fell on days when the air temperature reached values from 16 oC to 26 oC, and in autumn from 15 oC to 21 oC, while lower and higher humidity indices had a depressing effect on ixodid mites of the genus Dermacentor.