Ecological Parasitology

Lab 10: Ectoparasites and Vectors:A very brief introduction

Spring 2011

Vector-bourne parasitesdiscussed in class

• Trypanosoma cruzi• T. brucei• T. evansi• Leishmania sp.• P. mexicanum• Plasmodium (human)• Dirofilaria immitis• Wuchereria bancrofti• Loa loa• Onchocerca volvulus• Myxoma• (Dracunculus medinensis)• (Dipylidium caninum)• (Moniezia sp.)

Vector-bourne parasitesdiscussed in class

• Trypanosoma cruzi- Triatoma• T. brucei- Glossina• T. evansi- vampire bats!• Leishmania sp.- Lutzomyia or Phlebotomus• P. mexicanum- Lutzomyia• Plasmodium (human)- Anopheles• Dirofilaria immitis- mosquitoes• Wuchereria bancrofti- mosquito- Culex, Aedes, Anopheles, etc.• Loa loa- horse fly• Onchocerca volvulus- black fly• Myxoma- mosquitoes, fleas, mites• (Dracunculus medinensis- copepods)• (Dipylidium caninum- fleas)• (Moniezia sp.- mites)

Classification

• Kingdom: Animalia– Phylum: Annelida: Leeches– Phylum: Arthropoda

• Class: Maxilipoda (in Subphylum Crustacea): Copepods,Fish louse

• Class: Arachnida– Subclass: Acari (ticks and mites)

• Class: Insecta– Order: Hemiptera: Bed Bugs– Order: Phthiraptera: Lice– Order: Siphonaptera: Fleas– Order: Diptera

» Family: Glossinidae/Muscidae: Tsetse fly» Family: Culicidae: Mosquitoes

Leeches

• In phylum withearthworms

• Hermaphroditic• Some blood-

sucking, somepredatory

• Some care foryoung

Crustaceans

• Copepods • Argulus- fish louse

Ticks and Mites

• Family Argasidae– Soft ticks– Argas, Ornithodoros,

Tyroglyphus (mite)

• Family Ixodidae– Hard ticks– Rhipicephalus,Amblyomma,Dermacentor

Myxoma, viruses and bacteria, especially spirochetes like Borrelia

Lice

• Order Mallophaga– Biting lice– Trichodectes-

domestic animals,other mammals

• Order Anoplura– Sucking lice– Pediculus-

head/body louse(relapsing fever,typhus, trench fever)

– Phthirius- crab louse– Haematopinus-

domestic animals

Fleas

• Ctenocephalides-dog/cat flea

• Vector for Myxoma,Dipylidium caninum,plague

Bed Bugs

• Cimex– Steal blood meals– Males “fertlize” other

males– Males stab females

to mate– Able to heal

exoskeleton

Tsetse Fly

• Glossina– Live birth- give birth

to a larva!– Both males and

femaleshematophagous

– Vector of Africantrypanosomes

– Palpi stick straightout

Mosquitoes

Anopheles• Long palps• Hind legs usually

curve up whilefeeding

• Plasmodium

Aedes• Striped legs• Hind legs usually

outstretchedwhile feeding

• Dengue, yellowfever

Culex• Blunt abdomen• Hind legs usually

curved up overback while feeding

• West Nile

Wuchereria bancrofti, Dirofilaria immitis, Myxoma