Ectoparasitic mites, ticks and lice of certain domestic birds at Gharbiya Governorate

INTRODUCTION

Poultry products are considered as one of the most important sources of food for humans, worldwide (Obiora, 1992). Poultry is the most kept livestock and almost every household in villages has about 5-20 indigenous chicken reared under free range management system (Ikpeze et al., 2009). Ectoparasites are generally considered as the primary cause of poor health conditions, growth retardations and decrease in production in local chickens (Chege et al., 2014).

The Poultry industry occupies an important position in the provision of animal protein (meat and egg) to man and generally plays a vital role in the national economy as a revenue provider. Poultry is one of the most intensively reared of the domestic species and one of the most developed and profitable animal production enterprises (Ebrahimi et al., 2016). This study aims to identify the ectoparasites that infect domestic birds at Gharbia governorate

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Incidence of mites associated with domestic birds including feathers, skins, nasal cavity and feces. A general survey covered the most Gharbiya governorates collected from, Al Mahalla Al Kobra, Kutour, Samannoud and Tanta. A total of sample (400) of these locations. These field trails started during the two years (2017 and 2018) at Gharbiya governorate.

Collecting sample

Domestic birds were collected from poultry markets, poultry farms and domestic yards.

Feces were collected from poultry farms and domestic yards.

Transferred samples to the laboratory

Birds were freshly transferred to the laboratory for parasites extraction. They must be examined immediately or after 30-60 minutes of hunting. Necessary information including; host, date and locality were recorded.

Feces of birds were placed in paper bags.

Extraction of the mites

Feathers were removed from the body of birds and feces were put in modified Tullgren funnels for 24 hours. Each funnel has 40 – watt electric lamb according to Krantz and Walter (2009). Adult mites and their stages were removed by a camel hair brush No. (00) or by dissecting needles. Mites were transferred to Petri-dishes (diameter, 9 cm, Hight; 1.5 cm) filled with water with airing of Vaseline to prevent escape of mites. Extracted contents of the Petri-dishes were examined under the stereoscopic binocular.

Birds skins were carefully examined by stereomicroscope.

Skin mites were collected by specific needle.

Preparing mites

Collected mites were cleared in Nesbitt's solution. Extracted mites were mounted in Hoyer's medium on glass slides. After that these slides were heated over a hot plate at about 40^oC to clear. This makes the legs and chelicerae completely stretched. Labels included (species host, date and locality of collection) were fixed to the slides.

RESULTS AND DISSECTION

Mites associated with domestic bird species

The collected mites belonging to both Superorder Astigmata and Gamasida:

Superorder Acaridida

This Superorder was represented by 19 familiesincluding Histostomatidae, Hemisarcoptidae, Euglycyphagidae, Aeroglyphidae, Sudasiidae, Glycyphagidae, Syringobiidae, Apioacaridae, Xolagidae, Dermoglyphidae, Pyroglyphidae, Psoroptodidae, Psoroptidae, Avenzoariidae, Analgidae, Proctophylloididae, Epidormoptidae, Laminosioptidae and Knemidocoptidae, these families have 34 species (Table1).

Family Histostomatidae

This family was represented by one species, Fibulanoetus sp isolated from feathers of pigeon collected from Tanta with moderate numbers.

Family Hemisarcoptidae

This family was represented by one species, Hemisarcoptes sp extracted from feathers of ducks and chicken collected from Mahalla Al Kobra and Kutour during summer season with moderate numbers.

Family Euglycyphagidae

This family was represented by one species, Euglycyphagus intercalates intercalates extracted from feathers of chicken collected from Samannoud during summer season with moderate numbers.

Family Aeroglyphidae

This family was included one species, Aeroglyphus robustus extracted from feathers of chicken, ducks collected from Tanta with moderate numbers.

Family Sudasiidae

This family included one species, Suidasia ponifica extracted from chicken collected from Kutour with moderate numbers.

Family Glycyphagidae

This family was represented by one species, Glycyphagus sp extracted from tissues of chicken and ducks collected from Kutour and Tanta with moderate numbers.

Family Syringobiidae

This family was represented by two species, Phyllochaeta sp and Syringophilus africanus extracted from tissues of pigeon and geese collected from Kutour, Samannoud and Tanta with moderate numbers.

Family Apioacaridae

This family included one species, Atelepoda sp extracted from feathers of ducks and geese collected from Kutour and Tanta with moderate numbers.

Family Xolagidae

This family included one species, Vingrassie sp were extracted from feathers of ducks, chicken and turkey-hen collected from Kutour and Mahalla Al Kobra with moderate numbers.

Family Dermoglyphidae

This family was represented by five species, Dermoglyphus columbae and D. micocera extracted from skin of pigeon while D. elongates, D. farina, and Dermoglyphus spwere extracted from skin of ducks, geese and chicken collected from Kutour, Mahalla Al Kobra, Samannoud and Tanta with moderate numbers.

Family Pyroglyphidae

This family was represented by one species, Pyroglyphus arfricanus extracted from skin of chicken and pigeon collected from Kutour and, Mahalla Al Kobra with moderate numbers.

Family Psoroptodidae

This family was represented by one species, Pandalura strigisoti extracted from skin of chicken collected from Kutour and Mahalla Al Kobra with moderate numbers.

Family Psoroptidae

This family included one species, Psoroptes cunniculi extracted from skin of chicken collected from Tanta, Kutour and Mahalla Al Kobra with moderate numbers.

Family Avenzoariidae

This family included two species, Scutamegininia sp and Bdelordychus sp extracted from feathers of ducks collected from Samannoud and Mahalla Al Kobra with moderate numbers.Family Analgidae

This family was represented by three species, Analges spiniger and A. leiopus extracted from feathers of chickenwhile, Meginia columbae extracted from feathers of pigeon and chicken collected from Samannoud and Mahalla Al Kobra with great numbers.

Family Proctophylloididae

This family was represented by two species, Proctophylloderus oriantalis and Pterophagus striculus extracted from feathers of chicken collected from Samannoud, Kutour and Mahalla Al Kobra with moderate numbers with great numbers.

Family Epidormoptidae

This family was represented by four species, Epidermoptes perdicola, Epidermoptes sp, M. anchor and Myialges sp. were extracted from skin of pigeon while, the species M. anchor and Myialges sp extracted only from skin of ducks, chicken and turkey-hen collected from Tanta, Samannoud, Kutour and Mahalla Al Kobra with great numbers.

Family Laminosioptidae

This family included three species, Laminosioptes cysticola, L. hymenopterus and Laminosioptes sp extracted from skin of pigeon and turkey-hen collected from Tanta, Kutour and Mahalla Al Kobra with great numbers.

Family Knemidocoptidae

This family was represented by two species, kenemidocoptes sp and Neonemidocoptes gallina extracted from skin of chicken collected from Tanta, Kutour and Mahalla Al Kobra with moderate numbers.

Superorder Gamasida

This Superorder was represented by four families; Dermanyssidae, Macronyssidae, Rhinonyssidae and Feryanidae these families have 10 species (Table1).

Family Dermanyssidae

This family was represented by one species, Dermanyssus gallinae isolated from blood sucking mites of pigeon, ducks and chicken collected from Tanta by a few numbers during the summer season (2017) only.

Family Macronyssidae

This family was included three species, Ornithonyssus bursa, Ornithonyssus sylviarium and O. hoogstraoli extracted from skin as blood sucking mites of turkey-hen and pigeon collected from Mahalla Al Kobra and Kutour during summer season with moderate numbers.

Family Rhinonyssidae

This family was included five species, Rhinonyssus colymbicola, Rhinonyssus caledonicus, Rhinonyssus bisetosus, Neoryssus columbea and Sternostoma framcheacolam extracted from nasal cavity of pigeon, ducks and turkey-hen collected from Samannoud, Mahalla Al Kobra Kutour and Tanta during summer season with moderate numbers.

Family Feryanidae

This family was represented by one species, Freyana largifolia extracted from nasal cavity of ducks collected from Kutour and Tanta.

Incidence of ixodid ticks associated with some domestic bird species at Gharbiya governorate.

Family Ixodidae Canestrini

This family was represented by five species belonging to two genera as,

Genus Hayalomma

This genus was included three species as, Hayalomma impltatum, H. marginatum and H. dromedari isolated from skin of turkey-hen, pigeon and ducks collected from Kutour and Mahalla Al Kobra with few numbers (Table 2).

Genus Rhipicephalus

This genus was represented by two species; Rhipicephalus turanicus and R. guihoni isolated from skin of pigeon and ducks collected from Kutour and Mahalla Al Kobra with few numbers (Table 2).

Incidence of argasid tick associated with some domestic bird species at Gharbiya governorate.

Family Argasidae Canestrini

This family was represented by four species; Argas persicus, A. hermanni, A. streptopelian and Ornithodorinae coniceps isolated from skin of turkey-hen, ducks, pigeon and chicken collected from Tanta, Kutour and Mahalla Al Kobra with few numbers (Table 3).

Ectoparasitic lice associated with Domestic bird species at Gharbiya governorate

Order Mallbophaga

This order was represented by two suborders. Amblycera: this superorder includes three families: Menoponidae, Ricinidae and Laemobothiridae. Ischcera: this superorder has one family incloud, Philopteridae (Table 4).

Family Menoponidae

This family included three species, Colpcephalus helzeenthali, Menopos sp and Mumidicola spextracted during the year (2017 and 2018) from skin of ducks, and turkey-hen collected from Kutour and Mahalla Al Kobra with a high number.

Family Ricinidae

This family included one species, Ricinus sp isolated with few numbers from skin of chicken and pigeon from Tanta during the period of study.

Family Laemobothiridae

This family was included one species; Laemobothrion sp isolated with a high number from skin of chicken, pigeon and ducks from Kutour during the period of study.

Family Philopteridae

This family was represented by six species; Philopterus residus, Columbicola bacillus, C. columbe L, C. baculoides, Gonoides sp and Heptapsogaster spisolated from skin and tissues of Pigeon, chicken, and ducks collected from Kutour, Samannoud and Mahalla Al Kobra with a high number.

Our study revealed that the presence of parasitic found on domestic birds. Number of mite species were recorded in Gharbiya governorate was 2 suborders, 23 families and 44 species. These mites were previously audited by many investigators, Fain and Philips (1977), Fain et al. (1977), Rakha (1980), El Kammah et al. (1982), Hoogstraal (1984), El Kammah et al, (1990), Abd-Allah (1993), Fain and drugmand (1993), Gaud (1996), Fan (2000), Fan and Zhang (2004), El Kammah (2007) and Abdel-Gawad (2008).

Also, the parasitic ticks were recorded on domestic birds were 1 family, 2 genera and 5 species. The obtained data agree with Hoogstraal (1956), Taylor et al. (1966), El Kammah et al. (1982), Hoogstraal (1984), El Kammah et al. (1990), El Kammah (2007) and Guglielmone et al. (2010).

On the other hand, lice were recorded as parasitic on domestic birds were 1 order, 2 suborders, 4 families and 11 species. Our data agree with Emerson (1972), Rekasi (1979), Honacki (1982), Lyal (1985) and Beaucournu (1986).

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, 45 mite species, 9 ticks species and 5 lice species were collected from litter, chickens, ducks, pekeeny ducks, quails, geese, pigeon in Gharbiya Governorate during successive two years. Ectoparasites are generally considered as the primary cause of many deleterious effects for many poultry species. Such effects including poor health, low growth, and decrease the productivity in Egyptian governorate.  

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