Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Lousy big guys: Lepidophthirus macrorhini infesting seals from Antarctica

  • Short Note
  • Published:
Polar Biology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The present work represents a contribution to the ecology of a little known host parasite association, i.e. sucking lice and Antarctic seals. The information available regarding the health status of Antarctic seals is limited and little is known about the ecology and effect of parasites on these hosts. Particularly, data regarding Antarctic louse infestation are scarce. Therefore, the main goal of this study is to report the results of a survey of the louse infestation of Lepidophthirus macrorhini (Anoplura, Echinophthiriidae) on 26 elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) and on a Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddelli) from eastern Antarctic Peninsula.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

References

  • Becker GK, Robaldo RB, Bianchini A, Colares EP, Martinez PE, Muelbert MM, Brum JGW (2000) Lepidophthirus macrorhini (Anoplura: Echinophthiriidae) em elefante-marinho do sul (Mirounga leonina) na Ilha Elefante (Shetlands do Sul- Antártica). Arq Inst Biol 67:255–256

    Google Scholar 

  • Carrick R, Csordas SE, Ingham SE (1962) Studies on the southern elephant seal Mirounga leonina (L.). IV. Breeding and development. CSIRO Wildl Res 2:161–197

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Costa DP, Huckstadt LA, Crocker DE, McDonald BI, Goebel ME, Fedak MA (2010) Approaches to studying climatic change and its role on the habitat selection of antarctic pinnipeds. Integr Comp Biol 50:1018–1030

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dick CW (2007) High host specificity of obligate ectoparasites. Ecol Entomol 32:446–450

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Durden LA, Musser GG (1994) The sucking lice (Insecta, Anoplura) of the world: a taxonomic checklist with records of mammalian hosts and geographical distributions. Bull Am Mus Nat Hist 218:1–90

  • Halliday T (1995) More on toe-clipping. Froglog 12:3

    Google Scholar 

  • Kerry K, Riddle M, Clarke K (1999) Diseases of antarctic wildlife. A report for SCAR and COMNAP. SCAR, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Kim KC (1985) Coevolution of parasitic arthropods and mammals. Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • La Linn M, Gardner J, Warrilow D, Darnell GA, McMahon CR, Field I, Hyatt AD, Slade RW, Suhrbier A (2001) Arbovirus of marine mammals: a new alphavirus isolated from the elephant seal louse, Lepidophthirus macrorhini. J Virol 75:4103–4109

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Laws RM (1993) Development of technology and research needs. In: Laws RM (ed) Antarctic seals: research methods and techniques. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Leidenberger S, Harding K, Härkönen T (2007) Phocid seals, seal lice and heartworms: a terrestrial host-parasite system conveyed to the marine environment. Dis Aquat Org 77:235–253

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Leonardi MS (2014) Faster the better, a reliable technique to sample anopluran lice in large hosts. Parasitol Res 113:2015–2018

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Leonardi MS, Lazzari C (2014) Uncovering deep mysteries: the underwater life of an amphibious louse. J Insect Physiol 71:164–169

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Leonardi MS, Palma RL (2013) Review of the systematics, biology and ecology of lice from pinnipeds and river otters (Insecta: Phthiraptera: Anoplura: Echinophthiriidae). Zootaxa 3630:445–466

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leonardi MS, Bobinac M, Negrete J (2016) Redescription of Antarctophthirus lobodontis (Anoplura: Echinophthiriidae) from the crabeater seal and identification key for Antarctic lice. Polar Biol 39(4):671–676

  • Leonardi MS, Crespo EA, Vales DG, Feijoo M, Raga JA, Aznar FJ (2012) Life begins when the sea lion is ashore: microhabitat use by a louse living on a diving mammal host. Bull Entomol Res 102:444–452

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McIntyre T, de Bruyn PJN, Ansorge IJ, Bester MN, Bornemann H, Plötz J, Tosh CA (2010) A lifetime at depth: vertical distribution of southern elephant seals in the water column. Polar Biol 33:1037–1048

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McMahon CR, Bester MN, Burton HR, Hindell MA, Bradshaw CJA (2005) Population status, trends and a re-examination of the hypotheses explaining the recent declines of the southern elephant seal Mirounga leonina. Mamm Rev 35(1):82–100

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mehlhorn B, Mehlhorn H, Plötz J (2002) Light and scanning electron microscopical study on Antarctophthirus ogmorhini lice from the Antarctic seal Leptonychotes weddellii. Parasitol Res 88:651–660

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Murray MD (1976) Insect parasites of marine birds and mammals. In: Insects Marine (ed) Cheng, L. North Holland Publishing Company, Amsterdam, pp 79–96

    Google Scholar 

  • Murray MD, Nicholls DG (1965) Studies on the ectoparasites of seals and penguins. I. The ecology of the louse Lepidophthirus macrorhini Enderlein on the southern elephant seal, Mirounga leonina (L.). Aust J Zool 13:437–454

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Murray MD, Smith MSR, Soucek Z (1965) Studies on the ectoparasites of seals and penguins II. The ecology of the louse Antarctophthirus ogmorhini Enderlein on the Weddell seal, Leptonychotes weddelli Lesson. Aust J Zool 13:761–771

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Powell RA, Proulx G (2003) Trapping and marking terrestrial mammals for research: integrating ethics, performance criteria, techniques, and common sense. ILAR J 44:259–276

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Reiczigel J (2003) Confidence intervals for the binomial parameter: some new considerations. Stat Med 22:611–621

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rózsa L, Reiczigel J, Majoros G (2000) Quantifying parasites in samples of hosts. J Parasitol 86:228–232

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stewart B (2009) Diving behaviour. In: Perrin WF, Würsig B, Thewissen JGM (eds) Encyclopedia of marine mammals, 2nd edn. Academic Press, San Diego, pp 321–329

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Teilmann J, Born EW, Aquarone M (1999) Behaviour of ringed seals tagged with satellite transmitters in the North Water polynya during fast ice formation. Can J Zool 77:1934–1946

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson PM, Corpe HM, Reid RJ (1998) Prevalence and intensity of the ectoparasite Echinophthirius horridus on harbour seals (Phoca vitulina): effects of host age and inter-annual variability in host food availability. Parasitology 117:393–403

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We appreciate the important comments and suggestions made by Dr. Dieter Piepenburg and three anonymous referees that largely improved the manuscript. The study was financially and logistically supported by the Dirección Nacional del Antártico, Instituto Antártico Argentino. The permit for this work was granted by the Dirección Nacional del Antártico (Environmental Office). The authors are grateful to Dr. C.E. Rumbold for comments on earlier versions of the manuscript and statistical support and to Marina Juáres for her assistance with the maps. This research was partially funded by the Agencia de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica (PICT 2015-0082) and Lerner-Grey Fund for Marine Research. The authors express their support and defend the Argentinean scientific program.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Biología de Organismos Marinos (IBIOMAR), CONICET, Boulevard Brown 2915, PC 9120, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina

    María Soledad Leonardi & Florencia Soto

  2. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Avenida 122 y 60, PC 1900, La Plata, Argentina

    Javier Negrete

  3. Departamento de Biología de Predadores Tope, Instituto Antártico Argentino, Cerrito 1248, PC 1010, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Javier Negrete

Authors
  1. María Soledad Leonardi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Florencia Soto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Javier Negrete
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to María Soledad Leonardi.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Leonardi, M.S., Soto, F. & Negrete, J. Lousy big guys: Lepidophthirus macrorhini infesting seals from Antarctica. Polar Biol 41, 481–485 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-017-2207-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-017-2207-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation