Species composition, host specificity and genetic diversity of ectoparasites on rodents in Shiqu County, Sichuan Province

doi:10.12140/j.issn.1000-7423.2026.01.014

Abstract

Abstract:

Objective To investigate the species composition, host associations, and genetic structure of ectoparasites on rodents from alpine meadow habitats in Shiqu County, Sichuan Province, so as provide baseline data for risk assessment of regional zoonoses. Methods Small rodents were captured using random quadrats with traps in Shiqu County, Sichuan Province in October 2023 and August 2024, and identified morphologically. Ectoparasites were collected from the host rodents by fur-combing, and DNA was extracted. Flea 18S rRNA, mite cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) and tick 16S rDNA gene fragments were amplified using PCR assay for species identification. The obtained sequences were subjected to homology analysis. Haplotypes were analyzed using the software DnaSP 6.12.03, and phylogenetic trees were constructed using the maximum likelihood method in MEGA 7.0 to infer genetic evolutionary characteristics. In addition, a quantitative host-parasite association network was visualized as a Sankey diagram using the software Python 3.13.2. Results A total of 472 small rodents belonging to 7 species were captured, with Neodon fuscus (52.12%, 246/472) and Ochotona curzoniae (35.81%, 169/472) as dominant species. A total of 147 ectoparasites were collected and classified into 32 species, including 13 fleas species (94 individuals), 6 tick species (11 individuals), and 13 mite species (42 individuals), with Oropsylla silantiewi and Foxella ignota as the most abundant flea species (both accounting for 24.47%, 23/94), Poecilochirus austroasiaticus as the most abundant mite species (40.48%, 17/42), and Dermacentor silvarum and D. andersoni as the most abundant tick species (both accounting for 3/11). Fleas, mites and ticks displayed 30, 28, and 10 haplotypes, with haplotype diversity values of 0.863 5, 0.981 8 and 1.000 0, respectively, indicating significant genetic differentiation. Phylogenetic analysis showed clear clustering of distinct taxa. O. curzoniae and N. fuscus harbored 23 and 16 parasite species, respectively, representing core host nodes. 87.5% (28/32) of parasite species exhibited host specificity, with 65.6% (21/32) infesting only single host species. Conclusion Rodents harbor a rich diversity of ectoparasites in Shiqu County, Sichuan Province, with fleas, ticks, and mites as the main parasite groups, and O. curzoniae and N. fuscus as key hosts. The ectoparasite community exhibits a high host specificity, considerable haplotype richness, and pronounced genetic diversity, with phylogenetic analysis revealing distinct clustering patterns.

Key words: Rodent, Ectoparasite, Species composition, Genetic evolution, Shiqu

CLC Number:

R384

YANG Yang, WANG Xu, LI Mengqing, XUE Chuizhao, ZUO Qingqiu, YIN Jianhai, CAO Jianping. Species composition, host specificity and genetic diversity of ectoparasites on rodents in Shiqu County, Sichuan Province[J]. CHINESE JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY AND PARASITIC DISEASES, 2026, 44(1): 94-101.

Figures/Tables 7

Table 1

Table 2

Table 3

Species composition of ectoparasites on rodents in Shiqu County, Sichuan Province

体表寄生虫类型 Type of ectoparasites	目 Order	科 Family	属 Genus	种 Species	数量 Number	构成比/% Proportion/%
蚤类 Fleas	蚤目 Siphonaptera	角叶蚤科 Ceratophyllidae	倍蚤属 Amphalius	鼠兔倍蚤 A. runatus	18	19.15
蚤类 Fleas		角叶蚤科 Ceratophyllidae		哗倍蚤 A. clarus	1	1.06
			盖蚤属 Callopsylla	斧形盖蚤 C. dolabris	1	1.06
			角叶蚤属 Ceratophyllus	不等单蚤 C. anisus（M. anisus）	1	1.06
			Foxella	F. ignota	23	24.47
			Kohlsia	K. keenani	1	1.06
			巨槽蚤属 Megabothris	具刺巨槽蚤 M. calcarifer	1	1.06
			山蚤属 Oropsylla	谢氏山蚤 O. silantiewi	23	24.47
			Traubella	T. grundmanni	1	1.06
		切唇蚤科 Coptopsyllidae	切唇蚤属 Coptopsylla	叶状切唇蚤 C. lamellifer	1	1.06
		栉眼蚤科 Ctenophthalmidae	纤蚤属 Rhadinopsylla	宽臂纤蚤 R. cedestis	3	3.20
		细蚤科 Leptopsyllidae	寄禽蚤属 Ornithophaga	异样寄禽蚤 O. anomala	9	9.58
			Sigmactenus	S. toxopeusi	11	11.71
螨类 Mites	中气门目 Mesostigmata	皮刺螨科 Dermanyssidae	皮刺螨属 Dermanyssus	D. carpathicus	5	11.91
螨类 Mites		皮刺螨科 Dermanyssidae		D. hirsutus	4	9.52
				D. longipes	1	2.38
				D. natricis	1	2.38
				鸡皮刺螨 D. gallinae	1	2.38
				燕皮刺螨 D. hirundinis	1	2.38
		巨鳌螨科 Macrochelidae	巨鳌螨属 Macrocheles	家蝇巨螯螨 M. muscaedomesticae	1	2.38
		厉螨科 Laelapidae	麝鼠厉螨属 Ondatralaelaps	多刺麝鼠厉螨 O. multispinosus	1	2.38
		寄螨科 Parasitidae	Aclerogamasus	A. similis	3	7.15
			寄螨属 Parasitus	P. fimetorum	2	4.76
				P. wangdunqingi	4	9.52
			异肢螨属 Poecilochirus	澳亚异肢螨 P. austroasiaticus	17	40.48
				P. davydovae	1	2.38
蜱类 Ticks	硬蜱目 Ixodida	硬蜱科 Ixodidae	革蜱属 Dermacentor	安氏革蜱 D. andersoni	3	3/11
	硬蜱目 Ixodida			西藏革蜱 D. everestianus	1	1/11
				银盾革蜱 D. niveus	1	1/11
				草原革蜱 D. nuttalli	1	1/11
				森林革蜱 D. silvarum	3	3/11
			璃蜱属 Hyalomma	杆足璃蜱 H. truncatum	2	2/11

Table 3

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体表寄生虫类类型 Type of ectoparasites	基因 Genes	引物序列（5'→3'） Primer sequence (5'→3')	产物大小/bp Production length/bp
蚤类 Fleas	18S rRNA	F：CCTGAGAAACGGCTACCACATC R：GAGTCTCGTTCGTTATCGGA	1 000
螨类 Mites	细胞色素c氧化酶亚基1 cox1	F：GGTCAACAAATCATAAAGATATTGG R：TAAACTTCAGGGTGACCAAAAAATCA	710
蜱类 Ticks	16S rDNA	F：CTGCTCAATGATTTTTTAAATTGCTGTGG R：CCGGTCTGAACTCAGATCAAGT	460

目 Order	科 Family	属 Genus	种类 Species	数量 Number	构成比/% Proportion/%
啮齿目 Rodentia	仓鼠科 Cricetidae	松田鼠属 Neodon	高原松田鼠 N. irene	14	2.97
			白尾松田鼠 N. leucurus	34	7.20
			青海松田鼠 N. fuscus	246	52.12
			青海-高原松田鼠杂交 N. fuscus × N. irene	5	1.06
			白尾-青海松田鼠杂交 N. leucurus × N. fuscus	3	0.64
			白尾-高原松田鼠杂交 N. leucurus × N. irene	1	0.21
兔形目 Lagomorpha	鼠兔科 Ochotonidae	鼠兔属 Ochotona	高原鼠兔 O. curzoniae	169	35.80
合计 Total				472	100