SEAVR 2019: 063‐064
ISSN: 2424‐8525
Date of publication: 13 June 2019
Hosted online by ecologyasia.com

Culicid ectoparasitism onPhilippine Bronzeback (Dendrelaphis philippinensis)
Cyrus Job P. DELA CRUZ
cyrusjob.delacruz@bicol‐u.edu.phObservers: Cyrus Job P. Dela Cruz, Edmar Angeles, Ramon Bong Lapitan, Karl Benz Montesines,
Louna Charisse Sapugay, Jedalyn Pequeña.
Photographs by: Cyrus Job P. Dela Cruz.
Subject identified by: Cyrus Job P. Dela Cruz, Rafe M. Brown.
Location: Mount Mayon Natural Park, Barangay Lidong, Municipality of Santo Domingo, Province of Albay, Bicol
Peninsula, Philippines (N 13.241127 E 123.733252)
Elevation: 315 metres ASL.
Habitat: Lowland forest with abundant Agoho (Casuarina equisetifolia).
Date and time: 03 July October 2018, 19:00 hrs.
Identity of subjects:(i) Philippine Bronzeback, Dendrelaphis philippinensis (Reptilia: Squamata: Colubridae).
(ii) Mosquito (Insecta: Diptera: Culicidae).
Description of record: An adult Dendrelaphis philippinensis was observed sleeping on a slender tree branch (Fig.
1). After the snake was documented, it was noticed that a mosquito was actively feeding on the ventral part of thesnake. Furthermore, it was observed that the mosquito is adapted in detecting the soft skin part of the snake byfeeding on the spaces between ventral scales (Fig 1, inset). Observation lasted for two minutes.

Fig. 1 (and inset).

© Cyrus Job P. Dela Cruz63

Remarks: Dendrelaphis philippinensis is a species belonging to the Dendrelaphis caudolineatus complex,
characterized by the combination of (i) reduced pattern of black longitudinal stripes, with 2‐6 black longitudinal
stripes at the midbody, (ii) a pale ventrolateral line is absent or faintly present, (iii) a postocular stripe is present
and extends onto the neck and (iv) based on geographical distribution (Southeastern landmasses of the Philippines)(Van Rooijen & Vogel 2012).
Mosquitoes (family Culicidae) are known pests of mammals, but fewer species are known that preferentially feedon ectothermic hosts such as frogs and snakes (Ferguson & Smith, 2012). Several studies document mosquitoes
blood feeding preferences on ectothermic hosts e.g. Ferguson & Smith (2012), Burkett‐Cadena et al. (2008) andCupp et al. (2004). Female mosquitoes require blood to produce eggs (Hurd et al. 1995) and possibly transmit
parasites and viruses (Burkett‐Cadena et al. 2008, Gruia‐Gray & Desser 1992, Barta & Desser 1984) that can affectthe fitness of an ectothermic host. In the study of Madsen et al. (2005) on Water Python (Liasis fuscus), theinfectivity of the mosquito‐vectored haematozoan parasite Hepatozoon sp. affects growth rate, condition,
reproductive output, and survival of snakes. But according to the study of Brown et al. (2006) the infection is largely
benign in most cases. Thus, the effect of mosquito on D. philippinensis in the transmission of parasites and viruses
remains ambiguous but possibly applicable.
References:
Barta, J.R., Desser S. S. Blood parasites of amphibians from Algonquin park, Ontario. J. Wildl. Dis. 1984, 20, 180‐185.
Brown, G.P., Shilton, C.M., Shine, R. Do parasites matter? Assessing the fitness consequences of haemogregarine
infection in snakes. Can. J. Zool. 2006, 84 668‐676.
Burkett‐Cadena, N.D., Graham, S.P., Hassan, H.K., Guyer, C., Eubanks, M.D., Katholi, C.R., Unnasch, T.R. Bloodfeeding patterns of potential arbovirus vectors of the genus Culex targeting ectothermic hosts. Am. J. Trop. Med.
2008, 79 809‐815.
Cupp, E.W., Zhang, D., Yue, X., Cupp, M.S., Guyer, C., Sprenger, T.R., Unnasch, T.R. Identification of reptilian andamphibian blood meals from mosquitoes in an eastern equine encephalomyelitis virus focus in Central Alabama.
Am. Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg. 2004, 71, 272‐276.
Ferguson L.V., Smith T.G. Reciprocal trophic interactions and transmission of blood parasites between Mosquitoes
and Frogs. Insects. 2012, 3, 410‐423.
Gruia‐Gray, J. Desser, S. S. Cytopathological observations and epizootiology of frog erythrocytic virus in bullfrogs(Rana catesbeiana). J. Wildl. Dis. 1992, 28, 34‐41.
Hurd, H., Hogg, J.C., Renshaw, M. Interactions between bloodfeeding, fecundity, and infection in mosquitoes.
Parasitol. Today. 1995, 11, 411‐416.
Madsen, T., Ujvari, B., Olsson, M. Old pythons stay fit; effects of haematozoan infections on life history traits of alarge tropical predator. Popul. Ecol. 2005, 142, 407‐412.
Van Rooijen J., Vogel G. A revision of the taxonomy of Dendrelaphis caudolineatus (Gray, 1834) (Serpentes:Colubridae). Zootaxa, 3272: 1–25.

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