Ectoparasites of sympatric Barbary sheep and mule deer in the Texas Panhandle, USA.

Abstract

Eleven Barbary Sheep, Ammotragus lervia , and 12 Mule Deer, Odocoileus hemionus , harvested during the fall, 1977, from wild populations in Palo Duro Canyon, Texas were examined for ectoparasites. The winter tick, Dermacentor albipictus ; the spinose ear tick, Otobius megnini ; the louse Bovicola neglecta ; and an undescribed species of louse, Bovicola sp., were recovered from Barbary Sheep. Mule Deer harbored D. albipictus and nasal bots of the Cephenemyia prattilapicata group. Both host species harbored few ectoparasite species, the levels of infestations were low, and the proportion of host ungulates harboring anyone of the ectoparasites was small. The ability of Barbary Sheep to undergo pronounced range extensions and long-distance movements mayprovide a means of broad dispersal for these parasites. Additionally, the occurrence of these wild ungulates in the same range as domestic livestockprovides an excellent reservoir potential for certain of these ectoparasites, especially the ticks.