Ferruginous pygmy-owl (Glaucidium brasilianum) and eastern screech-owl (Megascopes asio): new hosts for Philornis mimicola (Diptera: Muscidae) and Ornithodoros concanensis (Acari: Argasidae)

While banding ferruginous pygmy-owls (Glaucidium brasilianum) and Eastern screech-owls (Megascops asio) in south Texas during 2004, we recorded Philornis mimicola (Diptera: Muscidae) and Ornithodoros concanensis (Acari: Argasidae) parasitizing nestlings. Inspection of nestlings revealed 54 P. mimicola and one O. concanensis. Inspection of nest material revealed 111 P. mimicola, including 57 puparia. The effect (e.g., blood loss, anemia) of these hematophagous parasites might have contributed to the demise of at least one Eastern screech-owl nestling. This is the first record of P. mimicola and O. concanensis parasitizing ferruginous pygmy-owls and Eastern screech-owls.     

Pathogenesis associated with philornid myiasis (Diptera: Muscidae) on nestling pearly-eyed thrashers (Aves: Mimidae) in the Luquillo Rain Forest, Puerto Rico

Pathogenesis of myiasis due to the muscid fly Philornis deceptivus in nestling pearly-eyed thrashers (Margarops fuscatus) in the Luquillo Rain Forest, Puerto Rico was investigated. Philornid larvae penetrated the host integument, underwent a period of development and growth, and established, as third instar larvae, between the dermis and the body musculature. Movement into this location plus growth and development of the fly larva appeared to be linked to the ingestion of host tissues including red blood cells, mononuclear cells which infiltrated from focal accumulations adjacent to the lesion, and necrotic cellular debris which accumulated in the lesion. The resultant increase in size of the larvae greatly displaced the host integument. Following the evacuation of the larvae for the purpose of pupation, repair of the cavernous lesion was initiated with the production of an intense organized fibrinous exudate. Macrophages and plasma cells predominated with vascular congestion in surrounding tissues. Over the 21-day nest period, nestlings were subject to successive infestations of large numbers of larvae and host responses to these appeared to significantly debit an energy budget responsible for nestling development and growth. Nestling mortality and post fledging survivorship appeared linked to the impact of these energy demands.     

Paracrias pluteus (Hymenoptera, Eulophidae) in Brazil: new distribution and host records, and with a new host group for Paracrias

Bruchines damage agricultural crops and trees, reducing the quantity and quality of the seeds. The aim of this study is to record, for the first time, Paracrias pluteus as a parasitoid on the immature stages of Sennius spodiogaster and Sennius cupreatus on seeds of Melanoxylon brauna in Teixeiras, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Paracrias pluteus is a parasitoid without previous host records and known only from Costa Rica. Specimens obtained in this study add to knowledge of the biology of Paracrias species with a new host group (Chrysomelidae: Bruchinae), and the first host record and a new distribution for Paracrias pluteus.     

Corynosoma cetaceum Johnston and Best, 1942 (Acanthocephala) in Chilean dolphin, Cephalorhynchus entropia Gray, 1846 (Cetacea: Delphinidae)

The finding of Corynosoma cetaceum Johnston and Best 1942, as a parasite of Cephalorhynchus eutropia Gray, 1846, is reported. This constitutes the first record of this acanthocephala in a new host, as well a new geographic distribution.     

Parasitism by Placobdella multilineata (Hirudinoidea: Glossiphoniidae) and its first record from Asia

Placobdella multilineata (Hirudinoidea: Glossiphoniidae) a temporary, bloodsucking ectoparasite, was previously recorded only from the southern United States, with turtles and the American alligator (Alligator mississipiensis) as hosts. This is the first record of P. multilineata from Asia (Beijing, People's Republic of China) and also a new host record for the estuarine crocodile (Crocodylus porosus). The introduction of P. multilineata to Asia occurred as a result of the transfer of American alligators. All 34 specimens of P. multilineata collected in Beijing were non-clitellate but blood in their guts indicated that feeding had occurred on the host.     

Neochrysocharis formosa (Westwood) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), a newly recorded parasitoid of the tomato moth, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), in Argentina

We report the first record of Neochrysocharis formosa (Westwood) parasitizing larvae of the tomato moth, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick), in tomato crops in Northern Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. Tomato moth larvae were sampled during four consecutive growing cycles, between 2003 and 2005, in 10 sites. Neochrysocharis formosa was present only in organic outdoor and protected crops, and predominantly during the late season. Parasitism rates varied from 1.5% to 5%. The finding of this species is a new record for Argentina and South America, and T. absoluta is a new host record.     

Burrowing fly larvae (Philornis porteri) associated with mortality of eastern bluebirds in Florida

We investigated mortality among nestling eastern bluebirds (Sialia sialis) in Polk and Highlands counties, Florida (USA) in 1999-2001. At least six species of maggots from three families of muscoid flies, Calliphoridae, Sarcophagidae, and Muscidae were found associated with the nestlings. Philornis porteri, the only species of obligate bird parasite collected, was found in the contents of two nests, in the ear canal and the musculature of the jaw of one nestling, and in the abdominal subcutis of another. This is the first record of bluebird parasitism by P. porteri. Although some nestlings were infested by tissue-invading fly larvae antemortem, the role of these maggots in the overall mortality was not clear.     

Pteromalid parasitoids (Hymenoptera) of Oulema oryzae (Kuwayama) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) from Japan, with notes on Pteromalus bifoveolatus

The present paper discusses three Japanese species of Pteromalidae reared from cocoons of the rice beetle Oulema oryzae (Kuwayama, 1929) (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae). Pteromalus cyclostomus Ishizaki sp. nov. is described. Spaniopus monospilus (Thomson, 1878) and Usubaia liparae Kamijo, 1983 are newly recognized as parasitoid wasps of O. oryzae , and the former is also recorded from Japan for the first time. Pteromalus bifoveolatus Förster, 1861 is also newly recorded from Japan, with a new host record from Samia cynthia pryeri (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae).     

A second record of adult Ascarops strongylina (Rudolphi, 1819) (Nematoda: Spirocercidae) in a rodent host

Mature adults of Ascarops strongylina (Nematoda: Spirocercidae) were collected from a Manchurian zokor, Myospalax psilurus (Rodentia: Cricetidae), in Mongolia. This is the second record of adult A. strongylina from wild rodents and the first for M. psilurus as a definitive host of this nematode. Remnants of ground crustaceans (Porcellio sp.) and a dung beetle (Onthophagus sp.) were also found in the stomach of the zokor.     

金黄角头小蜂及寄主新纪录(膜翅目:小蜂科)

金黄角头小蜂Dirhinus auratus Ashmead(小蜂科:角头小蜂亚科)在中国大陆首次纪录,研究标本均由家蝇蛹放于室外诱集后饲养获得;家蝇蛹为金黄角头小蜂的寄主新记录.本文提供了金黄角头金小蜂形态描述、分布及形态特征图.研究标本保存在中国科学院动物研究所动物标本馆及安徽师范大学标本馆.     

Megalorhipida leucodactyla (Fabricius) (Lepidoptera: Pterophoridae): first distribution record from Chile and new host plant record

The presence of Megalorhipida leucodactyla (Fabricius) (Lepidoptera: Pterophoridae) in Chile is reported for the first time from the Azapa valley, northern Chile. In this locality, some immature stages of M. leucodactyla were found to be associated with Tessaria absinthioides (Hook. & Arn.) DC., Asteraceae, a new host plant record at the species, genus and family level for M. leucodactyla.     

Philornis downsi– a recently discovered parasite on the Galápagos archipelago – a threat for Darwin's finches?

The obligate dipterian bird parasite Philornis downsi and the facultative parasitic fly Sarcodexia lambens were, until recently, unknown on the Galápagos archipelago. The first sign of parasitism of P. downsi on Darwin's finches was found in 1997. Parasitism data were collected from 177 nests of 12 bird species, including eight endemic species. In this study we examined host specificity, infection prevalence (percentage of infested nests), parasite load per nest and per nestling, and breeding success for two climatically different years, 1998 and 2000. We found Philornis downsi in 97% of the investigated nests, Sarcodexia lambens in 32% of the nests and a still unidentified endoparasitic Muscidae in 87% of the clutches investigated. The first two ectoparasites showed no host preference and were found in the dry deciduous coastal zone as well as in the evergreen moist forest. Parasite load per nest varied through the breeding stages, with no parasites during incubation, but with numbers increasing with nestling development. Parasite load per nest showed little variation, but variation in brood size led to different infestation rates per nestling. Small broods suffered higher parasite loads and higher nestling mortality, thus inducing a possible impact on population dynamics.     

New distributional and host records for the parasitoid Gronotoma adachiae (Hymenoptera: Figitidae: Eucoilinae) in Asia

The parasitoid Gronotoma adachiae is reported from Vietnam for the first time. The vegetable leaf miner Liriomyza sativae (Diptera: Agromyzidae) is a new host record. The G. adachiae specimens collected in Yunnan Province are the second record of this parasitoid from China.     

First record of the avian ectoparasite <Emphasis Type="Italic">Philornis downsi</Emphasis> Dodge &; Aitken, 1968 (Diptera: Muscidae) in Argentina

Species of Philornis Meinert, 1890 (Diptera, Muscidae) are Neotropical dipterans that include species with parasitic larvae which feed on nestling birds. To date, all Philornis species that have been recorded from Argentina have parasitic subcutaneous larvae. Here, for the first time for Argentina, we report the finding of Philornis downsi Dodge & Aitken, 1968, a fly with a nest-dwelling, semi-haematophagous larva. This record, from the humid Chaco ecoregion of Argentina in the nest of a saffron finch Sicalis flaveola pelzelni Sclater, substantially extends the known distribution of this species. We also report the consensus sequences of the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) and ITS2 regions of three of the specimens for future reference and comparison. Further investigation is needed to determine whether Argentina is part of the historical range of P. downsi or, alternatively, represents a recent expansion of its range, perhaps due to climatic changes or other factors of global environmental variation.     

Hygrobates salamandrarum sp. nov. (Acari, Hydrachnidia, Hygrobatidae) from China: the First Record of a Freshwater Mite Parasitizing Newts (Amphibia, Urodela)

Females of a new water mite species of the genus Hygrobates (Acari, Hydrachnidia, Hygrobatidae) were found to parasitize Pachytriton labiatus (Unterstein, 1930) (Amphibia, Salamandridae), a newt species from S China. Obviously, their particularly modified mouthparts are an adaptation for penetrating the amphibian skin. These data provide the first record of an adult water mite parasitizing a vertebrate host.     

First record of Anastrepha flavipennis Greene (Diptera: Tephritidae) and of its host in the Brazilian Amazon

Anastrepha flavipennis Greene was obtained from Pouteria glomerata (Sapotaceae) fruits, known as "abiurana-da-várzea" in the Brazilian Amazon. This is the first record of A. flavipennis for the state of Amazonas and of P. glomerata as a host for this fruit fly in the Amazon Basin.