Wk. Steele et al., OCCURRENCE OF THE FLEA GLACIOPSYLLUS-ANTARCTICUS AND AVIAN LICE IN CENTRAL DRONNING-MAUD LAND, Polar biology, 18(4), 1997, pp. 292-294
The flea Glaciopsyllus antarcticus is endemic to the Antarctic contine
nt, where it is known to parasitise a number of seabird species. This
paper reports the occurrence of the flea and two species of lice from
snow petrel (Pagodroma nivea) colonies in central Dronning Maud Land,
Antarctica, and extends considerably the recorded distribution of the
flea. Flea adults, pupae and larvae were recovered from 10 of 11 sampl
es of organic material collected from snow petrel nests at Svarthamare
n (71 degrees 53'S, 05 degrees 10'E) in the Muhlig-Hofmannfjella. Spec
imens of two philopterid lice species, Saemundssonia antarctica and Ps
eudonirmus charcoti, were recovered from three of these samples. Speci
mens of the Antarctic flea and of the louse S. antarctica were recover
ed from carcasses of snow petrel chicks collected both at Svarthamaren
and Robertskollen (71 degrees 28'S, 03 degrees 15'W) in the northern
Ahlmannryggen; the louse Pseudonirmus charcoti was recovered from Robe
rtskollen only.