Terry A. Wheeler

Brachylaima apoplania n. sp. (Digenea: Brachylaimidae) from the Polynesian rat, Rattus exulans (rodentia: muridae), in New Zealand; origins and zoogeography

Brachylaima apoplania n. sp. is described from the small intestine of the Polynesian rat (Rattus exulans) on Tiritiri Matangi Island, New Zealand. The new species is most similar to Brachylaima ratti Baugh, 1962, from Rattus rattus. The two species differ only in morphometric characters, B. apoplania possessing significantly smaller suckers, pharynx, testes, ovary, and cirrus sac. The close resemblance between B. apoplania and B. ratti, the close relationship between their hosts, and archaeological evidence on the origin and early dispersal of R. exulans are used to hypothesize a common Southeast Asian origin for the 2 Brachylaima species. Brachylaima apoplania is believed to have dispersed subsequently throughout the South Pacific islands, along with its rodent host, in the canoes of the ancestors of the modern Polynesians and Maoris.

Ectoparasites from birds in Newfoundland.

During an ongoing survey of the ectoparasites of birds in Canada (Bourgeois and Threlfall, 1981, Proc. Entomol. Soc. Wash. 83: 799-800; Eveleigh and Threlfall, 1974a, Proc. Entomol. Soc. Wash. 76: 270-277; Eveleigh and Threlfall, 1974b, Acarologia 16: 621-635; Eveleigh and Threlfall, 1975, Can. J. Zool. 53: 82-86; Eveleigh and Threlfall, 1976, Can. J. Zool. 54: 1694-171 1; Fitzpatrick and Threlfall, 1977, Can. J. Zool. 55: 1205-1209; Threlfall et al., 1979, Proc. Entomol. Soc. Wash. 81: 327-328) we acquired 75 frozen birds, of 46 species, from Newfoundland for examination. Each bird was identified and then examined under a dissecting microscope. Any parasites found were preserved in 70% ethanol and later mounted in Rubin’s solution (Rubin, 1951, Stain Technol. 26: 257-260) to facilitate identification. Voucher specimens of biting lice (Mallophaga) were prepared using 5% potassium hydroxide (55 C, 8-12 hr)/ lO% acetic acid/70/95/100% ethanol/xylene/ Canada balsam, while mites (Acarina) were cleared in lactophenol and mounted in Hoyer’s medium. One complete set of representative specimens has been deposited in the Canadian National Collection (Accession numbers 1985-39 to 1985-64; Biosystematics Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario K 1 A OC6, Canada). Major taxonomic keys used to identify the parasites included Clay (1969, Bull. Br. Mus. (Nat. Hist.) Entomol. 24: 1-26), Keirans (1967, N.H. Agric. Exp. Sta., Durham,

Feather Loss of Unknown Etiology in a Gull Colony in Newfoundland, Canada

tified as senovar balcanica occur commonly in possums in Victoria (Durfee and Presidente, 1977, Aust. Vet. J. 53: 508; Durfee and Presidente, 1979, Aust. J. Exp. Biol. Med. Sci. 57: 191-201) and in New South Wales (Milner et a!., 1981, J. Wild!. Dis. 17: 197-202). The two serovars, hardjo and balcanica, cannot be differentiated by conventional agglutination tests and possums infected with senovar balcanica develop microagglutination antibody that reacts with hardjo antigen (Durfee and Presidente, 1979, Aust. J. Exp. Biol. Med. Sci. 57: 231-240). We tested serum samples for antibodies to serovars hardjo, pomona, copenhageni and tarrasovi. Antibodies were not detected to any of the serovars tested. It is apparent that the brushtail possum may be a host for certain nematode parasites of ruminants. Although detection of specific antibody indicated exposure to two microbiological agents, both occurred at a low prevalence and T. vulpecula is therefore unlikely to be an important host or reservoir for these infectious diseases. He!minth specimens have been deposited in the Australian Helminth Collection housed in the South Australian Museum (S.A.M.) (Accession Nos. 14954-14957) and anthropod specimens have been lodged with the Australian National Insect Collection in Canberra and in the 5A.M. Animals were collected with the permission of the South Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service (permit number S01937). We thank Dr. R. Domnow, Queensland Institute of Medical Research for examining the mites, Dr. D. Kemp, C.S.I.R.O., Brisbane for confirming the identity of the ticks, M. Bald and R. Rowse!! for their assistance in the field, and G. Smith and L. Mikan for the serological studies.