Evaluation of biting lice infestations (Struthiolipeurus rhea) in rheas (Rhea americana) kept in commercial breeding in the state of Piauí

Abstract

We evaluated the level of infestation of biting lice (Struthiolipeurus rheae) in emus (Rhea americana) kept in a breeding business in the state of Piaui. We used 16 emus, 12 adults, six of them were males and six females. Only four of emus analyzed were young. Were collected randomly, two wings and two feathers of the base of the neck of each animal, which were placed in plastic bags. Later, lice were counted, preserved in jars with alcohol 70ºGL and sent to the Laboratory of Animal Health of Federal University of Piauí for identification. In samples obtained from adult emus, met a total of 77 lice, and the incidence of the wing feathers collected, 84.4% (65), significantly higher than in the feathers of the lower neck, 15.6% (12 ). No lice were found in young animals born in brooder. The adult rheas showed a high degree of infestation by S. rhea. The artificial incubation of the animals prevented the infestation of young emus S. Rhea. The high infestation S. rhea prevents the commercial use of emu feathers. This is the first record of occurrence of S. rhea in rheas in the state of Piaui.