@article {10375, title = {Ectoparasites of American Kestrels in northwestern New Jersey and their relationship to nestling growth and survival}, journal = {Journal of Raptor Research}, volume = {46}, year = {2012}, pages = {304-313}, abstract = {

American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) populations have been declining throughout much of North America during recent decades. To determine if the ectoparasite burdens of nestlings may be a contributing factor, we examined broods of kestrels in nest boxes in northwestern New Jersey. Our objectives were to identify and quantify the arthropod ectoparasites of nestlings, and to determine if removing these parasites from nestlings would increase kestrel nesting success. Of 26 broods we examined, we randomly chose 13 and manually removed from the nestlings all visible arthropods during three visits, when nestlings were age 5\–7, 10\–12, and 15\–17 d old; we handled the 11 control broods similarly but did not remove arthropods. Both the experimental and control broods were measured and banded at age 20\–22 d, and all visible arthropods were collected from both groups. Of 1767 arthropod specimens collected, 1679 (95.0\%) were Carnus hemapterus (Diptera: Carnidae). Our observation of the next most abundant parasite, Ornithonyssus sylviarum (northern fowl mite, Acari: Macronyssidae; 46 specimens), was apparently the first record of the American Kestrel as host. The remaining 42 specimens included 9 other kestrel parasites (4 species) and 33 nonparasites (19 species). C. hemapterus loads increased as nestlings aged, were highest at age 10\–12 d, and declined thereafter. At age 20\–22 d, control broods had significantly higher loads of C. hemapterus and other parasites. However, we detected no significant differences in nestling wing length, tail length, body mass, body mass/wing length (an index of nestling condition), or nestling survival. Thus, we found no evidence that ectoparasite removal would be an effective strategy in increasing the nesting success of American Kestrels in this study area.

}, keywords = {Carnus hemapterus, ectoparasites, Falco sparverius, nestling growth, reproductive success}, doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.3356/JRR-11-56.1}, url = {http://www.bioone.org/doi/full/10.3356/JRR-11-56.1}, author = {Lesko, MJ and Smallwood, JA} } @article {10365, title = {Diptera Carnoidea of the Maltese Islands}, journal = {Bulletin of the Entomological Society of Malta}, volume = {5}, year = {2012}, pages = {73-76}, abstract = {

An account is given of the families in the Carnoidea (Diptera: Schizophora) that have not been recorded previously from Malta. These are Braulidae, one species, Canacidae, one species, Carnidae, two species and Milichiidae, seven species.

}, keywords = {Carnidae, Malta}, author = {Ebejer, MJ} } @inbook {10360, title = {8.36.31. Superfamille Carnoidea}, booktitle = {Liste annotée des insectes (Insecta) du canton de Genève. In Instrumenta Biodiversitatis }, number = {8}, year = {2012}, pages = {404-407 (532 pp.)}, publisher = {MHN}, organization = {MHN}, address = {Genève}, keywords = {Switzerland}, author = {Merz, B.} } @article {10324, title = {Records of interesting flies (Diptera) attracted to meat baited pyramidal trap on sapping stump of European walnut (Juglans regia) in Central Bohemia (Czech Republic)}, journal = {Casopis slezsk{\'e}ho zemsk{\'e}ho muzea (A)}, volume = {60}, year = {2012}, month = {2012/01/??}, pages = {223{\textendash}233}, keywords = {Diptera, meat-bait, Meoneura vagans, new records, pyramidal trap, sapping stump of Juglans regia}, doi = {10.2478/v10210-011-0026-3}, url = {http://www.degruyter.com/view/j/cszma.2011.60.issue-3/v10210-011-0026-3/v10210-011-0026-3.xml?rskey=S7x21Z\&result=3}, author = {Bart{\'a}k, M. and Jindrich Rohacek} } @article {10125, title = {The puparium of Meoneura lamellata Collin (Diptera, Carnidae) and records of three other carnids from bird and mammal nests}, journal = {Dipterists Digest Second Series}, volume = {19}, number = {1}, year = {2012}, month = {9 March}, pages = {77-86}, abstract = {

Rearing data for four species of Carnidae (Diptera) are presented from material obtained in the 1930s by E.B. Basden. 387 specimens of Meoneura lamellata Collin, 1930 were reared, almost exclusively from nests of the sand martin, Riparia riparia. 533 specimens of Meoneura neottiophila Collin, 1930 came from nests of 14 bird species and the grey squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis. 344 specimens of Carnus hemapterus Nitzsch, 1818 came from 3 bird species and 2 specimens of Meoneura vagans (Fallen, 1823) were reared from dung of the pheasant, Phasilanus colchicus. The puparium of M. lamellata is described and compared with that of M. neottiophila and C. hemapterus.

}, url = {://ZOOREC:ZOOR14805038017}, author = {Graham E Rotheray} } @article {10126, title = {Reproductive anatomy and fecundity estimation of the haematophagous ectoparasite Carnus hemapterus}, journal = {Parasitology Research}, volume = {110}, number = {5}, year = {2012}, month = {May}, pages = {1733-1739}, abstract = {The dynamics of host-parasite interactions depends to a large extent on the effect of host responses on parasite fitness. An increased research effort is currently being invested in the study of host influence on parasite fitness both at a population and at an individual level even though basic information (e.g. the reproductive anatomy of parasites) is frequently missing. Here, we study for the first time the reproductive system of the Diptera Carnus hemapterus, a 2-mm long, highly mobile haematophagous fly parasitizing nestlings of a broad variety of bird species. Although this species is poorly known, it is being increasingly used for the study of host-parasite interactions. We also assess the reliability of a method to estimate fecundity based on the number of laid eggs per gravid female and analyse the effect of body size on fecundity estimates. Our results show that carnid flies are synovigenic, so that both the number of laid eggs at a given moment and the egg load represent only a fraction of the true potential fecundity. Moreover, laid eggs are probably a fraction of the number of mature eggs ready to be laid since females withheld seemingly mature eggs at oviposition. A high proportion of pregnant females did not lay eggs, and the number of eggs laid per pregnant female varied remarkably. The latter is explained partly by a positive relationship with body size (thorax length and abdomen width). Caution is needed when using the number of laid eggs as a shortcut estimation of fecundity in C. hemapterus. We propose some improvements to the method for assessing Carnus fertility.}, keywords = {Carnidae, Spain}, isbn = {0932-0113}, url = {://ZOOREC:ZOOR14807049365}, author = {Valera, Francisco and Zidkova, Lenka} } @article {10124, title = {Parasites and Pathogens of Eastern Bluebirds (Sialia sialis): A Field Survey of a Population Nesting Within a Grass-Dominated Agricultural Habitat in Georgia, USA, with a Review of Previous Records}, journal = {Comparative Parasitology}, volume = {79}, number = {1}, year = {2012}, month = {Jan}, pages = {30-43}, abstract = {The parasite community associated with a population of eastern bluebirds (Sialia sialis) nesting in a grassdominated habitat in northern Georgia, U.S.A., was surveyed by live examination of adults and nestlings; examination of feces, nesting materials, and blood smears; necropsy; and polymerase chain reaction techniques. During the course of 5 breeding seasons, we found 10 macroparasite species, which included I tick species (lxodes brunneus), 1 louse species (Philopterus sialii), 1 species of hematophagous mite (Dermanvssus prognephilus), and 5 other species not previously reported from eastern bluebirds, including an acanthocephalan (Plagiorhynchus cylindraceus), a species of strongyloid nematode, a cestode (Hymenolepis sp.), a nestling bird fly (Carnus floridensis), and a nest mite (Campephilocoptes sp.); a description of feather mites associated with the population was not included in this report. Overall prevalence of macroparasites was 16.1\%. We also detected 5 species of protistan parasites, including Haemoproteus fallisi, Plasmodium relic/urn, Trypanosoma avium, and 2 others, an Atoxoplasma sp. and a Sarcocystis sp., which represent new host parasite records. One bird tested positive for West Nile virus and for St. Louis encephalitis virus. More than 50\% of the birds examined were infected with 1 or more microparasites. Prevalence of microparasites varied by examination method employed. An updated list of known parasites of eastern bluebirds gathered from published literature and database searches is provided.}, keywords = {Carnidae, Georgia}, isbn = {1525-2647}, url = {://ZOOREC:ZOOR14804028309}, author = {Carleton, Renee E. and Mertins, James W. and Yabsley, Michael J.} }