Folia Parasitologica 55[1] 7-12 (2008) | DOI: 10.14411/fp.2008.002

Haemosporidian infections in captive exotic glossy starling Lamprotornis chalybaeus in Hong Kong

Ilan Paperna¹, Paolo Martelli²

¹ Department of Animal Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Quality, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot 76-100, Israel

² Veterinary Department, Ocean Park, Aberdeen, Hong Kong

A greater blue-eared glossy starling Lamprotornis chalybaeus Ehrenburg from a large flight aviary in Hong Kong was found on post mortem to be infected with Plasmodium octamerium Manwell, 1968, Plasmodium cf. relictum (Grassi et Feletti, 1891) and Haemoproteus cf. pastoris Mello, 1935. Descriptions of their morphology are provided as none of the examined parasites fully concord with their type (or neotype) material descriptions. Plasmodium octamerium has been recorded in avian hosts from geographically distant locations, suggesting that infection in imported hosts may persist in a chronic state for a long period. This Plasmodium species as well as P. relictum are evidently not fastidious in choice of passeriform hosts and are transmitted by ubiquitous domestic mosquito vectors, apparently facilitating their proliferation among zoo and aviary inhabitants. The Haemoproteus infection appears to be conspecific with H. cf. pastoris reported from a myna (Acridotheres tristis) in Singapore. Mynas are also common in Hong Kong, which suggests a possible cross-transmission of infection between these two starlings.

Keywords: Haemosporidia, Plasmodium octamerium, Plasmodium relictum, Haemoproteus pastoris, blood parasites, Lamprotornis chalybaeus, Sturnidae

Received: March 16, 2007; Accepted: July 25, 2007; Published: March 1, 2008  Show citation