Search results for "Cervidae"
showing 3 items of 3 documents
Summer time predation on the obligatory off-host stage of an invasive ectoparasite
2016
SUMMARYPredation can regulate populations and strongly affect invasion success of novel prey. The deer ked (Lipoptena cervi; Linnaeus 1758) is an invasive ectoparasite of cervids that spends a long period of its life cycle outside the host. Prior to this study, virtually nothing was known about natural summer time predation on the deer ked. We aimed to evaluate the magnitude of summer time predation onL. cervipupae in different habitats and to identify potential predators. We conducted a set of field experiments, where we exposedL. cervipupae to various ground-dwelling vertebrate and invertebrate predators. The loss of pupae was monitored for different predator guilds. Three habitats of the…
Passive sinking into the snow as possible survival strategy during the off-host stage in an insect ectoparasite
2015
Abiotic and biotic factors determine success or failure of individual organisms, populations and species. The early life stages are often the most vulnerable to heavy mortality due to environmental conditions. The deer ked (Lipoptena cervi Linnaeus, 1758) is an invasive insect ectoparasite of cervids that spends an important period of the life cycle outside host as immobile pupa. During winter, dark-coloured pupae drop off the host onto the snow, where they are exposed to environmental temperature variation and predation as long as the new snowfall provides shelter against these mortality factors. The other possible option is to passively sink into the snow, which is aided by morphology of …
Antler Malformations of Cervidae Species in Opole Voivodeship
2017
Hunting Law regulations strictly determines which males of quarry species may be harvested during the season. The age and the antlers of the individual play here an important role. The exceptions are the individuals with malformed and long spiked antlers, that is in a form significantly different from the desirable forms described in guidelines by the Chief Hunting Council. Anomalies in shape, structure and size of antlers are obligatory condition for harvesting the individual. It is generally accepted that such individuals are weaker, less valuable, have defective genes, are sick or injured, and are dangerous for conspecific during the rut. The scientific explanations for the development o…