Publication
Title
Variations in prevalence and intensity of blow fly infestations in an insular Mediterranean population of blue tits
Author
Abstract
A Corsican population of blue tits (Parus caeruleus) suffers extremely high levels of infestation by two species of blow flies (genus Protocalliphora) that have been suspected to influence the life-history traits of their hosts. By quantifying the abundance of the blow fly larvae infesting each brood of this population during 2 consecutive years, we showed that the distribution of these parasites did not differ from a Poisson distribution. The intensity of blow fly parasitism (mean parasite load per infested nest) was independent of the time of breeding and the available space in the nest of their bird hosts. Moreover, the total blow fly load per nest increased significantly with the number of chicks, whereas the parasite load per chick was not linearly related to brood size.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Canadian journal of zoology. - Ottawa, 1951, currens
Publication
Ottawa : 1999
ISSN
0008-4301
DOI
10.1139/CJZ-77-2-337
Volume/pages
77 :2 (1999) , p. 337-341
ISI
000082269700016
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
UAntwerpen
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 03.01.2013
Last edited 23.08.2022
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