Antarctophthirus carlinii (Anoplura: Echinophthiriidae), a new species from the Weddell seal Leptonychotes weddelli.

María Soledad Leonardi,Sebastián Poljak,Javier Negrete,Pedro Carlini,Juan Galliari,Mercedes Santos,María E Márquez,Magalí Bobinac

doi:10.1007/s00436-014-4058-7

Abstract

As a part of an ongoing long-term study on the biology of pack-ice seals in Antarctica, we had the opportunity to collect lice from Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddelli). We did not find the original description of this host-parasite association. Antarctophthirus ogmorhini had previously been reported as a parasite for the Weddell seal, but the information is, to a certain extent, confusing. During the development of the present study, we had access to literature concerning the presence of A. ogmorhini on this host, which, to our knowledge, was not determined in any of the previous works on this species. We compared lice collected from Weddell seals with A. ogmorhini obtained from the type host, the leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx), and we found that both species can be distinguished. The main differences are the characteristic pattern of chaetotaxy in the dorsal side of the head in lice from Weddell seals, the size and form of the pseudopenis, and the distribution and size of the fringe of setae surrounding the genital opening. Considering the conservative morphology, and ecological and evolutionary features of sucking lice, we proposed that lice from Weddell seals constitute a new species. In the present work, we described and illustrated adults of this new species collected from Weddell seals during the austral summer of 2014 at the Danco Coast, Antarctic Peninsula.

Highlights

As a part of an ongoing long-term study on the biology of pack-ice seals in Antarctica, we had the opportunity to collect lice from Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddelli)
Buenos Aires, Argentina conservative morphology, and ecological and evolutionary features of sucking lice, we proposed that lice from Weddell seals constitute a new species
Among the sucking lice (Anoplura), the family Echinophthiriidae is the only family whose species have adapted to survive on pinnipeds (Durden and Musser 1994), a mammalian group that includes fur seals and sea lions (Otariidae), walruses (Odobenidae), and true seals (Phocidae)

Summary

Introduction

As a part of an ongoing long-term study on the biology of pack-ice seals in Antarctica, we had the opportunity to collect lice from Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddelli). We compared lice collected from Weddell seals with A. ogmorhini obtained from the type host, the leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx), and we found that both species can be distinguished. Antarctophthirus has six recognized species infecting fur seals (Antarctophthirus callorhini), sea lions (Antarctophthirus microchir), walruses (Antarctophthirus trichechi), and Antarctic true seals (Antarctophthirus lobodontis, Antarctophthirus ogmorhini, and Antarctophthirus mawsoni). Antarctophthirus is considered the less host-specific genus of the family, while A. callorhini, A. trichechi, A. lobodontis, and A. mawsoni has been described as species-specific; A. microchir and A. ogmorhini are present in several host species. The information is, to a certain extent, Parasitol Res (2014) 113:3947–3951 confusing and we did not found the original determination of this species in association with the Weddell seal. Names and abbreviations of setae used in this paper follow those of Kim and Ludwig (1978) and Leonardi et al (2009): spines are pointed setae, scales are flattened setae, and hairs are the long and thin setae

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