Scanning electron microscopy based identification of ectoparasitic insects infesting zoo-housed jungle cats and pigeons of North India

The ectoparasites have dual adverse action against their hosts as infesting agents and as vectors of various disease entities. These ectoparasites invade domesticated and wild animals and birds either in natural habitat or in captivity. The present study is an effort to identify and confirm fleas and lice recovered from jungle cat (Felis chaus) and pigeon (Columba livia), which were delineated as Ctenocephalides felis felis (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) and Afrimenopon waar (Phthiraptera: Menoponidae), respectively, based on gross morphological studies using scanning electron microscopy. The present study thus projected the first report of morphological identification and confirmation of ectoparasites invading the captive wild animals and birds of a zoological garden in India. Also, the present study puts forward new host species for the ectoparasites i.e. jungle cat for Ctenocephlides felis felis and pigeon for Afrimenopon waar from India.