Macroparasites of Pallas's squirrels (Callosciurus erythraeus) introduced into Europe

Introduced pets released in natura can lead to sanitary risks for native fauna and humans We analysed the macroparasite fauna of a total of 49 Pallas s squirrels Callosciurus ery-thraeus from two populations introduced into urbanised areas in Europe (n = 16 female and 13 male from Antibes France 43 33 N-7 7 E n = 11 female and male cr in from Dadizele Belgium 50 52'N-3 5'E) Of the 185 identified ectoparasites from Antibes 183 were sucking lice Enderleinellus kumadai with male squirrels 10 times more intensely Infested than females The flea Nosopsyllus fasciatus was found on two hosts No hard ticks were recovered Of the 131 arthropods specimens from Dadizele 45 belonged to E kumadai with male squirrels three times more intensely infested than females Eighty-six arthropods belonged to another sucking louse Hoplopleura erismata with males infested twice as intensely as females No fleas or hard ticks were found We only found 12 immature Hymenolepis sp cestodes in the small Intestine of three squirrels from Antibes and two immature Mastophorus sp female nematodes in the stomach of a squirrel from Dadizele We found no other helminths in the body cavity heart lung liver kidney or bladder The macroparasite fauna of these two squirrel populations is consistent with what is expected from an Introduced host le a few species dominated by specialist taxa imported with founders The scarcity of other rodent species in the urbanised areas where Pallas s squirrels were sampled may explain the low variety of newly acquired macroparasites The discrepancy in sucking lice infestations between males and females could be due to differences in either behaviour or physiology in this non-sexually dimorphic host Based on the macroparasites found in this study we expect minimal sanitary risks for both native fauna and humans in urbanised habitats such as those in our study (C) 2010 Elsevier B V All rights reserved