A SURVEY OF ECTOPARASITIC ARTHROPODS ON DOMESTIC ANIMALS IN TAK PROVINCE, THAILAND

In July 2008 a survey of ectoparasites on domestic animals was conducted in the Royal Thai Army areas of operation along the Thai-Myanmar Border, Tak Prov- ince, Thailand. Eleven different ectoparasites were collected: two species of hard ticks (Ixodidae), three species of fleas (Siphonaptera) and 6 species of sucking or chewing lice (2 species each in the suborders Anoplura, Ischnocera and Amblycera) were col- lected. Domestic dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) (n=94) were found infested with 2 spe- cies of flea Ctenocephalides felis orientis (86.2%) and Echidnophaga gallinacea (1.1%), one species of tick, Rhipicephalus sanguineus (21.3%), and one louse species, Heterodoxus spiniger (7.4%). Domestic cats (Felis catus) (n=6) were found infested with only flea species, Ctenocephalides felis felis (100%) and E. gallinacea (33.3%). Cattle (Bos indicus) (n=11) had Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (72.7%), Linognathus vituli (27.3%), and Solenopotes capillatus (9.1%) present, while chickens (Gallus domesticus) (n=10) had in- festations with E. gallinacea (20%), and 3 lice species, Lipeurus caponis (10%), Goniodes dissimilis (10%) and Menopon gallinae (60%). This is believed to be the first report of S. capillatus collected in Thailand.