ORIGINAL PAPER Macroparasites of introduced parakeets in Italy: a possible role for parasite-mediated competition

Abstract Alien species are considered a cause of biodiversity loss throughout the world. An important but often overlooked form of competition with native species is the parasite-mediated one. Introduced species may bring their own para-sites from their native ranges (spillover) or get native parasites from native species, thus increasing the parasites ’ spread and transmission risk (spillback). Thus, a complete knowledge of parasites hosted by introduced species is important to assess and to possibly prevent impacts. Ring-necked and monk parakeets have been introduced in many European countries, where they established a number of alien reproductive popu-lations. We sampled 21 ring-necked parakeets and 7 monk parakeets from Italy and identified 35 arthropod ectoparasites belonging to five species. Amongst those, one species was native to India (Neopsittaconirmus lybartota), where alien populations of ring-necked parakeet may have been originat-ed, and one species from South America (Paragoniocotes fulvofasciatus), which is typically found of the monk parakeet in its native range. The other three species of arthropod para-sites were native to Italy and commonly found on native spe-cies, suggesting the possibility of spillback processes