Ectoparasite Infestations in Wild Mammals from the Lake Van Basin, Eastern Türkiye, with Notes on New Host Records

Ectoparasites cause skin lesions, anemia, and mortality in wild animals and act as vectors of zoonotic pathogens. This study reports ectoparasites detected during an opportunistic survey on wild mammals admitted to the Van Yuzuncu Yil University Wildlife Protection and Rehabilitation Center in eastern Türkiye during 2024-2025. Due to the opportunistic nature of sampling, the findings primarily reflect parasite burdens in injured or debilitated individuals and may not be representative of healthy free-ranging populations. Of the 28 animals examined, 20 (71.4%) were infested. A total of 449 ectoparasites were collected: 370 fleas (82.4%), 58 ticks (12.9%), and 21 lice (4.7%). Identified species included four fleas (Paraceras melis, Chaetopsylla globiceps, Pulex irritans, Archaeopsylla erinacei), four ticks (Ixodes kaiseri, Rhipicephalus turanicus, Haemaphysalis parva, Haemaphysalis erinacei), and one louse (Trichodectes melis). This study provides new host-ectoparasite association records for Türkiye: I. kaiseri and R. turanicus on beech marten (Martes foina); I. kaiseri and C. globiceps on Eurasian badger (Meles meles); and P. irritans on Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) and brown bear (Ursus arctos). Bipartite network analysis revealed moderate specialization (H2' = 0.52) and marked variation in host specificity, with T. melis, A. erinacei, and P. melis showing high host specificity (d' > 0.85), whereas Chaetopsylla globiceps and Pulex irritans acted as generalists (d' < 0.30). Some identified ectoparasites are known or suspected vectors of zoonotic pathogens. These findings provide baseline data for future research on wildlife health and disease transmission risks in the region.