Abstract
A survey of ectoparasites of roof rats, Rattus rattus and Norway rats, R. norvegicus captured at urban buildings in Tokyo metropolitan and its suburb, from 2008 to 2011 was carried out. Of the 90 roof rats and 6 norway rats examined, 76 (84.4%) and 2 (33.3%) were found to be infested with ectoparasites. Five species of parasitic mites, namely, Ornithonyssus bacoti, Radfordia ensifera, Laelaps nuttalli, L. echidninus and Cheyletus eruditus, and one species of lice, Polyplax serratus, were collected from the roof rats. In addition, no fleas but free living mites, such as Tyrophagus putrescentiae, Lardoglyphus konoi, and Dermatophagoides sp., were also detected from the roof rats.
Only three species of mites, namely, O. bacoti, R. ensifera and L. nuttalli were detected from 2 (33.3%) out of the 6 Norway rats examined. No fleas nor lice were collected from the Norway rats.
