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Published August 31, 2003 | Version v1
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New species of haematozoa from Apterygidae in New Zealand

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PEIRCE, M. A., JAKOB-HOFF, R. M., TWENTYMAN, C. (2003): New species of haematozoa from Apterygidae in New Zealand. Journal of Natural History 37 (15): 1797-1804, DOI: 10.1080/00222930110109082, URL: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00222930110109082

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LSID
urn:lsid:plazi.org:pub:FF90B951FFC28973FFE5FFE6AD3B304A
URL
http://publication.plazi.org/id/FF90B951FFC28973FFE5FFE6AD3B304A

Related works

Has part
Taxonomic treatment: http://treatment.plazi.org/id/03A9C129FFC08977FD66FA8AAE0C326B (URL)
Taxonomic treatment: 10.5281/zenodo.5260283 (DOI)
Taxonomic treatment: http://treatment.plazi.org/id/03A9C129FFC68975FD66FDAFACF6322A (URL)
Figure: 10.5281/zenodo.5260213 (DOI)

References

  • Hepatozoon kiwii is a relatively large parasite and comparable in size to the largest avian species so far described, H. albatrossi Peirce and Prince. This brings to 15 the total number of valid species of this genus from birds as last reviewed by Bennett et al. (1992a). Hepatozoon kiwii has a distinctive pinkish cytoplasm with pseudo-pigment and together with H. albatrossi so far represent the only avian species of Hepatozoon in which elongate forms doubled-up within the capsule of the host cell cytoplasm have been observed. This probably represents a precursor of mature mobile vermicular forms which occur freely in the blood after leaving the host cell. Although free vermicular forms are assumed to be a phase in the development of all Hepatozoon spp., such stages have not been observed in any avian species and only rarely in mammalian ones. These extracellular forms occur more frequently in some reptilian species, notably H. pettiti Hoare of the crocodile. This suggests a common evolutionary lineage even though the parasites occur in leucocytes in birds and erythrocytes in reptiles. Micro- and macrogametocytes cannot be separated by differential staining or nuclear morphology as they can with most other apicomplexan haematozoa.
  • It is probable that I. anatis is the vector of both B. kiwiensis and H. kiwii and studies are continuing to establish the life cycle of both parasites. However, argasid ticks and fleas have also been implicated as potential vectors of some avian species of Hepatozoon (Bennett et al., 1992b), so alternative vectors have to be considered. Haemaphysalis longicornis Neumannn and Ixodes eudyptidis Maskell have been recorded from A. australis mantelli (Bishop and Heath, 1998), but not from any of the other species of kiwi and were not found during the present study. Fleas have only been recorded from the Stewart Island brown kiwi, A. australis lawryi Rothschild (Bishop and Heath, 1998), but it would be surprising if other species of kiwi were not also parasitized. No argasid ticks have yet been recorded from any species of kiwi.
  • It is relevant to comment briefly on the status of Ixodes anatis recorded from A. australis mantelli by Bishop and Heath (1998) and identified as the only species found during the present study (A. C. G. Heath, personal communication). In New Zealand I. anatis is the most commonly found tick species on brown kiwi and is known as the kiwi tick. However, Camicas et al. (1998) consider this species probably to be a synonym of Ixodes apteridis Maskell, but given that the fragments on which the original description of this latter species was based cannot be located, such proposed synonymy has no scientific basis, even though the name has 7 years priority over that of I. anatis. Until such time as neotype material is designated and I. apteridis given priority over I. anatis as the valid species name for the kiwi tick, the latter name must remain in use (A. C. G. Heath, personal communication). We concur with this view and accept the current nomenclature.
  • Species of Hepatozoon are not known to be pathogenic in birds, but it is unclear whether concomitant infection with B. kiwiensis has any effect on kiwi chick morbidity. This needs to be established as it may have significant implications for conservation strategies. Mortality among North Island brown kiwi under 6 months of age is currently 95%, with mammalian predators as the main cause (McLennan, 1998). From the clinical observations on Babesia -infected chicks to date, it is possible that the parasitaemia could be a factor in lowering chick viability during their most vulnerable phase (Jakob-Hoff et al., 2002). Birds under stress due to reduced habitat or transferred to new areas as part of captive breeding programmes need to be regularly monitored, as under these conditions normally benign parasites can become pathogenic (Peirce, 1989).
  • The significance of the Rickettsia-like parasite observed in one bird between April and August 2000 is currently unclear. The parasite closely resembles that described from other avian hosts (Peirce, 1972) and may also be transmitted by I. anatis.