Parasite diversity of Norwegian lemmings (Lemmus lemmus)

  1. Juha Laakkonen1,
  2. Voitto Haukisalmi2,
  3. Jukka Niemimaa3,
  4. Heikki Henttonen3

Article first published online: 28 FEB 2006

DOI: 10.1017/S0952836901000504

Issue

Journal of Zoology

Journal of Zoology

Volume 253, Issue 4, pages 549–553, April 2001

Additional Information

How to Cite

Laakkonen, J., Haukisalmi, V., Niemimaa, J. and Henttonen, H. (2001), Parasite diversity of Norwegian lemmings (Lemmus lemmus). Journal of Zoology, 253: 549–553. doi: 10.1017/S0952836901000504

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Biology, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0116, U.S.A.

  2. 2

    Department of Ecology and Systematics, Division of Population Biology, P.O. Box 17, FIN-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland

  3. 3

    Finnish Forest Research Institute, P.O. Box 18, FIN-01301, Vantaa, Finland

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 28 FEB 2006
  2. Article first published online: 28 FEB 2006
  3. (Accepted 19 April 2000)

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Keywords:

  • Fennoscandia;
  • Lemmus lemmus;
  • microtine cycles;
  • migration;
  • parasite diversity

Abstract

The parasite diversity of Norwegian lemmings Lemmus lemmus was studied in northern Fennoscandia during a moderate population peak in 1997–98. Our aim was to study the parasites of lemmings in their normal mountainous habitats in anticipation of the next great lemming migration in northern Fennoscandia into the coniferous taiga. The blood parasites (Hepatozoon, Trypanosoma and Bartonella) found, Frenkelia sp., which invades the brain tissue of the host, and the pulmonary fungus Chrysosporium (Emmonsia) sp., have been detected previously in the Norwegian lemming, but an unknown fungus, and oocysts of Eimeria spp. have not been reported from L. lemmus before. The Norwegian lemming was found to have an exceptionally species-poor helminth fauna. Only one species of cestode (Andrya sp.) occurring in lemmings at the adult stage was found, and the cestodes of carnivores that commonly parasitize voles at the larval stage were totally absent. The distribution and abundance of vectors, and sympatric definitive hosts of parasites are predicted to have a major role in determining the parasites that lemmings will encounter during their mass movements in new habitats. However, it is predicted that parasitism by adult and larval helminths is not markedly affected by the habitat change associated with the mass migration.

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