First records of parasites from the Long-tailed Meadowlark Sturnella loyca (Passeriformes: Icteridae) from the Biobío Region, Chile

Abstract

A total of 27 Long-tailed Meadowlarks Sturnella loyca (Molina, 1782) from the Biobío Region were examined between January 2005 and December 2008. Birds were infected with chewing lice (Phthiraptera), feather mites (Acari), and helminths (Platyhelminthes, Acanthocephala). Three species of chewing lice were found: Brueelia boae Cicchino and Castro, 1996 (26% prevalence), Menacanthus leistidis Cicchino, 1984 (7.4%), and Menacanthus sturnellae Price, 1977 (7.4%). Mites included 4 taxa: Amerodectes sp. (Mironov, 2008) (14.8%), Harphyrhynchoides sp. (Fain, 1972) (7.4%), Mesalgoides sp. (Fain, 1972) (3.7%), and Proctophyllodes sp. (Robin, Mégnin, 1877) (3.7%). Gastrointestinal helminths included the cestode Anonchotaenia longiovata (Fuhrmann, 1901) (18%) and the acanthocephalan Mediorhynchus robustus (Van Cleave, 1916) (3.7%). With the exception of B. boae and M. leistidis, all parasites represent new records for this passerine bird species.