Integrative taxonomic description of chewing lice infesting deer: Odocoileus virginianus veraecrucis pediculosis with Tricholipeurus lipeuroides in Veracruz, Mexico

Authors: ESTRADA-SOUZA, IRIS - University Of Veracruzana; SANCHEZ-MONTES, SOKANI - Autonomous University Of The State Of Mexico; ROMERO-SALAS, DORA - University Of Veracruzana; CRUZ-ROMERO, ANABEL - University Of Veracruzana; AGUILAR-DOMINGUEZ, MARIEL - University Of Veracruzana; PEREZ BRIGIDO, CAROLOS-DAVID - University Of Veracruzana; HERMIDA-LAGUNES, JAVIER - University Of Veracruzana; MORALES-DIAZ, JORGE - University Of Veracruzana; Saelao, Perot; BECKER, INGEBROG - Autonomous National University Of Mexico; Perez De Leon, Adalberto - Beto

Submitted to: Parasitology Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/17/2020
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Chewing lice are part of the external parasites that infest wildlife. Pediculosis is the technical term for an infestation with lice. Tricholipeurus lipeuroides (T. lipeuroides) is the scientific name of a chewing louse species known to infest white-tailed deer (WTD) in Canada and the United States (U.S.). For the first time, pediculosis with T. lipeuroides is described in the WTD subspecies veraecrucis that lives in the state of Veracruz, Mexico. Morphological and molecular analyses were combined, an approach also known as integrative taxonomy, to describe the T. lipeuroides infestation of WTD veraecrucis. Ecological characteristics of this WTD-chewing louse association were also investigated. Pediculosis was detected in 91.7% of the 56 WTD (29 females and 27 males) inspected. Gene sequences specific for T. lipeuroides amplified running a molecular assay confirmed the identity of all the chewing louse life stages. Infestation prevalence and intensity results are compared to previous reports considering the infestation with T. lipeuroides in a tropical environment. The ecological description of pediculosis in WTD veraecrucis complemented the integrated taxonomy of T. lipeuroides. These results are discussed in the context of comparative analyses on the emergence of novel chewing lice-deer associations.

Technical Abstract: Chewing lice are part of the ectoparasitic fauna infesting wildlife. However, the diversity of chewing lice species infesting deer remains to be fully characterized in the Neotropics. Little is known about the chewing lice infesting the extant fourteen subspecies of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in Mexico. Known to infest white-tailed deer (WTD) in Canada and the United States (U.S.), Tricholipeurus lipeuroides is a chewing louse species that was originally described in the nineteenth century infesting O.v. mexicanus in Mexico. For the first time, pediculosis of O.v. veraecrucis, a Neotropical WTD subspecies in Mexico, with T. lipeuroides is reported herein. An integrative taxonomic approach was taken by combining morphological and molecular analyses to describe the T. lipeuroides infestion of O.v. veraecrucis. Ecological characteristics of the O.v. veraecrucis-T. lipeuroides association were also investigated. Pediculosis was detected in 91.7% of the 56 O.v. veraecrucis (29 females and 27 males) inspected while under chemical restraint that were sampled at 3 sites in the central region of Veracruz state in Mexico. The amplification of previously reported T. lipeuroides Cytochrome Oxidase Subunit I gene sequences confirmed the identity of all the chewing louse life stages. Infestation prevalence and intensity results are compared to previous reports considering the infestation with T. lipeuroides in a tropical environment where O.v. veraecrucis were kept under semi- or captive conditions. The ecological description of pediculosis in O.v. veraecrucis complemented the integrated taxonomy of T. lipeuroides. These results are discussed in the context of comparative analyses on the emergence of novel chewing lice-deer associations.