Abstract
Parasite species are important components of biodiversity, as they provide valuable information about host health, evolutionary relationships, population structures, trophic interactions, the existence of environmental stresses, and climatic conditions. With the aim of describing the parasites associated with parrots of the genus Enicognathus Gray 1840 from central Chile, thirteen austral parakeets, Enicognathus ferrugineus, and five slender-billed parakeets, E. leptorhynchus, were examined between September 2007 and March 2014. The prevalence of ectoparasites and endoparasites was 88.9% and 22.2%, respectively. On eleven of the E. ferrugineus (84.6%) analyzed, and on all of the E. leptorhynchus analyzed (100%), five feather mite species (Pararalichus hastifolia, Genoprotolichus major, Protonyssus sp., Fainalges sp., and Eurydiscalges sp.) were collected. On ten E. ferrugineus (76.9%) and two E. leptorhynchus (40%), the chewing lice Heteromenopon macrurum, Psittacobrossus patagoni, and Paragoniocotes enicognathidis were collected. The nematode Capillaria plagiaticia was collected from three E. ferrugineus (23.1%), and the nematode Ascaridia hermaphrodita was found in one E. leptorhynchus (20%). The presence of C. plagiaticia, Protonyssus sp., Fainalges sp., and Eurydiscalges sp. from the two Enicognathus spp. are new records for Chile and represent new parasite-host associations.
Highlights
The genus Enicognathus Gray, 1840 (Aves: Psittaciformes) is comprised of two species: the slender-billed parakeet, E. leptorhynchus Müller, 1776; and the austral parakeet, E. ferrugineus King, 1831, both of which are endemic to Chile
Previous investigations into the parasitic fauna associated with parrots of the genus Enicognathus revealed three major groupings of parasites: two roundworm species (Nematoda: Ascaridiidae); three chewing lice (Insecta: Phthiraptera); and two feather mites (Arachnida: Acarina: Astigmata)
Endoparasites were found in 22.2% (4/18) and ectoparasites were found on 88.9% (16/18) of the examined birds
Summary
The genus Enicognathus Gray, 1840 (Aves: Psittaciformes) is comprised of two species: the slender-billed parakeet, E. leptorhynchus Müller, 1776; and the austral parakeet, E. ferrugineus King, 1831, both of which are endemic to Chile. The austral parakeet inhabits both Chile and Argentina, ranging from the Metropolitan Region (33° 26’ 16” S, 70° 39’ 01” W) to Cape Horn (Region of Magallanes, 54° 56’ 00” S, 67° 37’ 00” W) in Chile, and from the province of Neuquén (38° 57’ 06” S, 68° 04’ 28” W) to Tierra del Fuego (54° 21’ 43” S, 67° 38’ 17” W) in Argentina; it is the parrot with the most southerly distribution in the world (DÍAZ, 2012) These birds are of special concern for conservation given their recent population declines during the last century (COLLAR, 1997; DÍAZ, 2012; GOODALL et al, 1957). The pterolichid feather mite Pararalichus hastifolia (MÉGNIN & TROUESSART, 1884) was collected from austral and slender‐billed parakeets (ATYEO, 1989b), while Genoprotolichus major
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