Investigation of murine-like animals and their ectoparasites on Heixiazi Island, Heilongjiang province, China

Objective To investigate the species distribution, community composition, seasonal fluctuation of activity, and ectoparasites in the murine-like animals on the Heixiazi Island of Fuyuan county, Heilongjiang province, China. Methods The night trapping method was used to capture murine-like animals, and parasitic fleas and gamasid mites were collected from their body surfaces. Results A total of 899 murine-like animals (8 species, 7 genera, 5 families, and 3 orders) were captured on the Heixiazi Island; 24.1% of them were rodents, and the dominant species were Myodes rutilus (36.7%), Apodemus agrarius (33.8%), and Microtus fortis (21.4%). The community composition of murine-like animals varied in different habitats and months. In the 2 habitats, the activities of murine-like animals were seen during April to October and reached the peak levels in September. M. fortis showed peak activity in June and September; M. rutilus and A. agrarius showed peak activities in September. Rattus norvegicus had the highest flea infection rate (42.9%) and flea index (2.1), as well as the highest gamasid mite infection rate (57.1%) and gamasid mite index (4.3). Conclusion This investigation provides a basis for the research on the community composition and ecology of murine-like animals and the control of infectious disease caused by murine-like animals on Heixiazi Island.