Post by surroundx on Dec 13, 2010 11:56:42 GMT
A note published in 1990 pointed out that the captive breeding and reintroduction program to save the black-footed ferret would cause the loss of its specific parasites and demanded "equal rights for parasites!". [2] Then a paper in 1992 has warned that not only the loss of certain host species from the wild, but even host population bottlenecks or the fragmentation of host populations would predictably lead to the extinction of several host specific parasite species.[3] It also noted that parasites are not only components of biodiversity by definition, but they also exert selective pressures upon their host populations that increase host genetic diversity. Firstly, this view met with open scepticism. [4] Soon after, it became clear that the co-extinction of hosts and their specific parasites is likely to increase the current estimates of extinction rates significantly.[5] A decade later, a study focusing on some highly host-specific groups (such as fig wasps, parasites, butterflies, and myrmecophil butterflies) estimated the number of co-endagered species (i.e. endagered by the endagered status of the host) at about 6300.[6] Other authors argued that host specific parasite faunae have an unexpected advantage for conservation scientists. Their genealogies and population genetic patterns may help to illuminate their hosts' evolutionary and demographic history. [7] Recently, scientists suggested that rich parasite faunae are inevitably needed for healthy ecosystem functioning [8] and also that parasites and mutualists are the most endangered species on Earth. [9] Even veterinarians have started to argue about the conservational values of parasite species.[10]
The list below [of extinct avian lice] follows that of Mey (2005):
Acutifrons caracarensis parasite of the extinct Guadalupe Caracara (Caracara lutosa), Guadelupe Island, Mexico;
Longimenopon dominicanum parasite of the extinct Guadalupe Storm-petrel, Oceanodroma macrodactyla, Guadelupe Island, Mexico;
Campanulotes defectus parasite of the extinct Passenger Pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius), North-America;
(Columbicola extinctus another parasite of the extinct Passenger Pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius). Interestingly, recent taxonomic studies show that it was conspecific with the lice living on Band-tailed Pigeon (Columba fasciata), thus it is not extinct as a species) [12];
Rallicola piageti parasite of the extinct New Caledonian Rail (Gallirallus lafresnayanus), New-Caledonia;
Halipeurus raphanus parasite of the extinct Guadalupe Storm-petrel (Oceanodroma macrodactyla), Guadelupe Island, Mexico;
Puffinoecus jamaicensis parasite of the extinct Jamaica Petrel (Pterodroma caribbaea), Jamaica;
Nitzschiella hemiphagae parasite of the extinct Norfolk Island Pigeon (Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae spadicea), Norfolk Island, New-Zealand;
Patellinirmus restinctus parasite of the extinct Norfolk Island Pigeon (Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae spadicea) ), Norfolk Island, New-Zealand;
Rallicola extinctus parasite of the extinct Huia (Heteralocha acutirostris), New-Zealand[13];
Philopteroides xenicus parasite of the extinct Bushwren (Xenicus longipes), New-Zealand;
Psittacobrosus bechsteini parasite of the extinct Cuban Red Macaw (Ara tricolor), Cuba;
Colpocephalum californici, parasite of the California Condor (Gymnogyps californianus). The host have been saved by captive breeding and repatriation programs, however, the parasite have been lost, either spontaneously or perhaps exterminated by wildlife vets.
(source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservation_biology_of_parasites)
The link to the Mey article on co-extinction of birds and their host-specific parasites does not work. However, I serendipitously found it while googling something else: phthiraptera.info/Publications/46150.pdf
Branden.
The list below [of extinct avian lice] follows that of Mey (2005):
Acutifrons caracarensis parasite of the extinct Guadalupe Caracara (Caracara lutosa), Guadelupe Island, Mexico;
Longimenopon dominicanum parasite of the extinct Guadalupe Storm-petrel, Oceanodroma macrodactyla, Guadelupe Island, Mexico;
Campanulotes defectus parasite of the extinct Passenger Pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius), North-America;
(Columbicola extinctus another parasite of the extinct Passenger Pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius). Interestingly, recent taxonomic studies show that it was conspecific with the lice living on Band-tailed Pigeon (Columba fasciata), thus it is not extinct as a species) [12];
Rallicola piageti parasite of the extinct New Caledonian Rail (Gallirallus lafresnayanus), New-Caledonia;
Halipeurus raphanus parasite of the extinct Guadalupe Storm-petrel (Oceanodroma macrodactyla), Guadelupe Island, Mexico;
Puffinoecus jamaicensis parasite of the extinct Jamaica Petrel (Pterodroma caribbaea), Jamaica;
Nitzschiella hemiphagae parasite of the extinct Norfolk Island Pigeon (Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae spadicea), Norfolk Island, New-Zealand;
Patellinirmus restinctus parasite of the extinct Norfolk Island Pigeon (Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae spadicea) ), Norfolk Island, New-Zealand;
Rallicola extinctus parasite of the extinct Huia (Heteralocha acutirostris), New-Zealand[13];
Philopteroides xenicus parasite of the extinct Bushwren (Xenicus longipes), New-Zealand;
Psittacobrosus bechsteini parasite of the extinct Cuban Red Macaw (Ara tricolor), Cuba;
Colpocephalum californici, parasite of the California Condor (Gymnogyps californianus). The host have been saved by captive breeding and repatriation programs, however, the parasite have been lost, either spontaneously or perhaps exterminated by wildlife vets.
(source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservation_biology_of_parasites)
The link to the Mey article on co-extinction of birds and their host-specific parasites does not work. However, I serendipitously found it while googling something else: phthiraptera.info/Publications/46150.pdf
Branden.
