Diversity and Coexistence of Ectoparasites in Small Rodents in a Tropical Dry Forest |
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| Authors: | Ruth A Gómez‐Rodríguez Gabriel Gutiérrez‐Granados Griselda Montiel‐Parra Ángel Rodríguez‐Moreno Víctor Sánchez‐Cordero |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Laboratorio de Sistemas de Información Geográfica, Instituto de Biología, UNAM. Tercer circuito s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, México;2. Colección Nacional de ácaros, Instituto de Biología, UNAM. Tercer circuito s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, México |
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| Abstract: | To understand the mechanisms driving species diversity is central to community ecology. Here, we explored if habitat partitioning is associated with a species‐rich ectoparasite community in small rodents from a tropical dry forest in western Mexico. We trapped 199 mice in three 0.5 ha‐plots from eight small rodent species for every two months, from July 2011 to April 2012, and collected their ectoparasites. We identified 17 species of mites, two sucking lice species, two phoretic species, and one commensal species. The most abundant ectoparasite species was Steptolaelaps liomydis, representing 42 percent of all ectoparasites collected; seven ectoparasite species had < 10 individuals. Eighteen ectoparasite species (of 22 species) were collected from the most abundant rodent Liomys pictus. C‐score and the number of checkerboard species pairs were significantly higher against a random expectation. Ectoparasite species in L. pictus mice showed host microhabitat partitioning; Fahrenholzia ehrlichi and Fahrenholzia texana were found only in the anterior dorsal area, Ornithonysus sp. occurred along the dorsal part, Ixodes species were restricted to the ears, and Steptolaelaps liomydis was found throughout the body. We also identified ectoparasite communities with distinct species composition in two rodent species that use contrasting macrohabitats (L. pictus, strictly terrestrial; Peromyscus perfulvus, mostly arboreal). The remaining and low abundant rodent species showed a species‐poor ectoparasite community composition. We conclude that habitat partitioning at both macro and microhabitat scales appeared to characterize the species‐rich ectoparasite community. Conversely, most rodent host species with low abundances showed a species‐poor ectoparasite community. |
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| Keywords: | community structure ectoparasite species
Liomys pictus
mites sucking lice tropical dry forest |
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