Parasites of Columba livia (Aves: Columbiformes) in Tenerife (Canary Islands) and their role in the conservation biology of the Laurel pigeons

The prevalence and intensity of the parasites from 50 wild doves (Columba livia) from the city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, in the island of Tenerife (Canary Archipelago), were studied, The 1 following ecloparasites were found in apparently healthy pigeons (prevalences are shown in percentage (%) and mean intensities with their standard deviations): the acari Dermanyssus gallinae, (De Geer, 1778) (6 241.0 +/- 138.9) and Tinaminyssus melloi I Fain, 1962 (10 %, 218.3 +/-117.3); the louses, Columbicola columbae Linnaeus, 1758 (100 %, 111.4 +/- 76.8) and Campanulotes bidentatus Scopoli, 1763 (94 %, 48.4 +/- 26.6); and [he pigeon fly, Pseudclynchia conariensis Macquart, 1839 (36 %, 6.2 +/- 1.6). The endoparasites we found, were: a haemoprotozoan species, Haemoproteus columbae Kruze, 1890 (82 %, 14.8 +/- 10.3 per 1000), coccidion oocysts, F (50 %, 0.2 x 10(3) +/- 1.7 x 10.3 per 1000); a oocyts Eimeria sp Raillietina micracantha (Fuhrmann, 1909) Lopez Neyra, 1947 (44 %, 12.3 +/- 9.4); and four nematode species, Tetrameres (Tetrameres) fissispina (Diesing, 1861) Travassos, 1915 (4 % 99.5 +/- 34.1), Synhimantus (Dispharynx) spiralis (Molin, 1 85) (8 %, 46.8 +/- 11.6), Ascaridia columbae (Gmelin, 1790) Travassos, 1913 (40 %, 8.4 +/- 8.8) and Aonchotheca sp. (18 6.0 +/- 3.1). Several species detected in our study can be pathogens for C. bolli and C. junoniae, which are endemic pigeons of the Canary Islands, considered endangered species. Parasites (ecloparasites, protozoa and helminths) of C. livia found in Tenerife and others from wild and form birds in the island were considered as healthy controls.