Population dynamics of Crataerina pallida (Diptera: Hippoboscidae); a nest ectoparasite of the Common Swift, Apus apus (Aves: Apodidae). The Journal of parasitology [J Parasitol] Journal article | | Title | Population dynamics of Crataerina pallida (Diptera: Hippoboscidae); a nest ectoparasite of the Common Swift, Apus apus (Aves: Apodidae). | | Author(s) | Walker MD, Rotherham ID | | Source | J Parasitol 2009 Oct 28.:1. | | Abstract | An essential pre-requisite to understanding host-parasite relationships is a good knowledge of parasite ecology and life-history. Despite removing a significant amount of blood from their Common Swift (Apus apus) hosts no detrimental effect of parasitism by the Louse Fly (Crataerina pallida) has been found. This may be because little is known of the population dynamics of this parasite. We studied characteristics of Louse Fly populations that may influence its pathogenicity. Louse Fly populations were found to exhibit extremely high levels of prevalence and to be aggregated between nests. Nest populations were much higher than those seen in other studies. Louse Fly numbers declined throughout the swift breeding season. Populations were heavily female biased except for at the initial and final stages of the nestling period. These results may have implications for further studies looking for an effect of parasitism upon this host. | | Language | ENG | | Pub Type(s) | JOURNAL ARTICLE
| | PubMed ID | 19863158 |
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