Fleas community in introduced Siberian chipmunks (Tamlas sibiricus Laxmann) in forest of Senart, France

We examined the fleas community in an introduced population of Siberian chipmunks, Tamias sibiricus, between 2005 and 2007, in the Forest of Senart (Essonne, France). We collected and identified 383 fleas on 463 chipmunks (total 1,891 captures on 471 chipmunks). In 2005, 120 fleas were also collected on 65 bank voles, Clethrionomys glareolus, and on 25 wood mice, Apodemus sylvaticus, trapped within the some area. Ceratophyllus sciurorum sciurorum formed 73.6 % of the chipmunks' flea community, with an annual prevalence (P) ranging between 8 and 13 % and a mean intensity (1) ranging between 1.1 and 1.6 fleas per individual. Among the six other species infecting this Sciurid, Ctenophthalmus agyrtes impavidus constituted 17.2 % (P: 1.622 %; 1: 1.1-2.6), and Megabothris turbidus 8.1 % (P: 0.819 %, 1: 1.0-1.4) of the flea community, respectively. These last two species represented respectively 60.8 % and 36.6 % of the flea community on the bank vole and the wood mouse. Originated from Asia, chipmunks did not import any flea species to Senart, probably because they were used as pets before their release in the wild. Abundance in C. s. sciurorum increased with adult chipmunk density and with juvenile density in summer. On adult chipmunks C. s. sciurorum tented to decrease with increasing abundance of red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris). Moreover, the two other flea species mainly infected young chipmunks during the fall, and their number was not related to chipmunk density. However, the distribution of species within the flea community become more balanced with increase juvenile chipmunk density. Overall, these results indicate that the close phyletic relationship between chipmunks and red squirrels contributed in the acquisition and the spread of fleas by chipmunks. Primary and secondary hosts densities, their habitat use, and more specifically burrowing activities and tree canopy use, also played a role in the spread of fleas on chipmunks.