The first data on the ectoparasites (ticks, lice and flea) of the stone marten, Martes foina (Erxleben) in Turkiye

Abstract

Turkiye is a natural land bridge connecting Europe and Asia, and has a rich terrestrial mammalian fauna, with more than 150 species within the seven orders. However, there is limited information on ectoparasites of wild animals, especially carnivores, in Turkiye. In the present study, we provide the first data of ectoparasites of Turkish stone marten, Martes foina (Erxleben). A total of 38 ectoparasite specimens were collected from two road-killed stone martens in two different localities in Tokat province. Here, the presence of the genus Stachiella Keler (Insecta: Phthiraptera) in Turkiye was reported for the first time, based on two specimens (1 male and 1 nymph) of Stachiella retusa (Burmeister). In addition, three flea (Insecta: Siphonaptera), namely Monopsyllus sciurorum sciurorum (Schrank) (1 male), Pulex irritans L. (1 female), Chaetopsylla rothschildi Kohaut (3 males, 8 females) and two tick (Acari: Ixodida) species, namely Haemaphysalis erinacei Pavesi (18 males, 4 females), Ixodes redikorzevi Olenev (1 female) were collected from stone martens. All ectoparasitic species are new host-associations for stone marten, M. foina, in Turkiye.

Keywords

• biodiversity
• fauna
• mammals
• parasites
• vectors
• wild animals