scholarly journals Seasonal Prevalence of a Haematozoan Parasite of Red-Bellied Woodpeckers (Melanerpes Carolinus) and its Association With Host Condition and Overwinter Survival

The Auk ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 120 (1) ◽  
pp. 130-137 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew S. Schrader ◽  
Eric L. Walters ◽  
Frances C. James ◽  
Ellis C. Greiner
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
Parasite Prevalence ◽  
National Forest ◽  
Seasonal Prevalence ◽  
Overwinter Survival ◽  
Host Condition ◽  
Blood Smears ◽  
Low Mass ◽  
Apalachicola National Forest ◽  
Melanerpes Carolinus

Abstract We examined seasonal prevalence of a haematozoan parasite (Haemoproteus velans) of the Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) in the Apalachicola National Forest, northern Florida. We also investigated how infection with H. velans was associated with host mass, body condition, and overwinter survival. Analysis of blood smears taken from individual woodpeckers between May 2000 and July 2001 indicated that prevalence of H. velans peaked in July 2000, at ∼80% of individuals sampled, decreased to 0% in January and February 2001, and peaked again in July 2001, at ∼50% of individuals. Infection with H. velans was associated with low mass and poor body condition in males. Infection showed no association with female mass. In addition, infection with H. velans showed no relationship with overwinter survival. Our data reemphasize the importance of considering seasonal variation in parasite prevalence during testing for haematozoa. In addition, our data suggest that, although infection with H. velans is associated with poorer host condition, it does not negatively affect host survival.

Seasonal Prevalence of a Haematozoan Parasite of Red-Bellied Woodpeckers (Melanerpes carolinus) and Its Association with Host Condition and Overwinter Survival

The Auk ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 120 (1) ◽  
pp. 130-137 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew S. Schrader ◽  
Eric L. Walters ◽  
Frances C. James ◽  
Ellis C. Greiner
Keyword(s):  
Seasonal Prevalence ◽  
Overwinter Survival ◽  
Host Condition ◽  
Melanerpes Carolinus

PARASITIC HELMINTHS OF RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS (MELANERPES CAROLINUS) FROM THE APALACHICOLA NATIONAL FOREST IN FLORIDA

2002 ◽  
Vol 88 (6) ◽  
pp. 1140-1142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Garry W. Foster ◽  
John M. Kinsella ◽  
Eric L. Walters ◽  
Matthew S. Schrader ◽  
Donald J. Forrester
Keyword(s):  
National Forest ◽  
Parasitic Helminths ◽  
Apalachicola National Forest ◽  
Melanerpes Carolinus

Parasitic Helminths of Red-Bellied Woodpeckers (Melanerpes carolinus) from the Apalachicola National Forest in Florida

2002 ◽  
Vol 88 (6) ◽  
pp. 1140
Author(s):  
Garry W. Foster ◽  
John M. Kinsella ◽  
Eric L. Walters ◽  
Matthew S. Schrader ◽  
Donald J. Forrester
Keyword(s):  
National Forest ◽  
Parasitic Helminths ◽  
Apalachicola National Forest ◽  
Melanerpes Carolinus

scholarly journals Blood parasites in passerine birds from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

2012 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabiane Sebaio ◽  
Érika Martins Braga ◽  
Felipe Branquinho ◽  
Alan Fecchio ◽  
Miguel Ângelo Marini
Keyword(s):  
Atlantic Forest ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Parasite Prevalence ◽  
Neotropical Region ◽  
Blood Parasite ◽  
Blood Parasites ◽  
Passerine Birds ◽  
Blood Smears ◽  
Temporal And Spatial ◽  
Low Prevalence

Parasites may lead bird species to extinction, affect host temporal and spatial population dynamics, alter community structure and alter individuals’ social status. We evaluated blood parasite prevalence and intensity according to bird families and species, among 925 birds that were caught in 2000 and 2001, in the Atlantic Forest in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. We applied Giemsa staining to thin blood smears, to detect blood parasites. The birds (n = 15.8%) in 11 families, were infected by at least one parasite genus, especially Muscicapidae (28.3%) and Conopophagidae (25%). Among the 146 infected birds, Plasmodium was detected in all bird families and had the highest prevalence (54.8%). Trypanosoma, Haemoproteus and microfilaria had lower prevalence rates (23.3, 23.3 and 2.1%, respectively). Birds caught during the rainy season were more infected than birds caught during the dry season. The overall low prevalence of blood parasites in birds is similar to the patterns found elsewhere in the Neotropical region.

Microsatellite loci over a thirty-three year period for a malaria parasite (Plasmodium mexicanum): bottleneck in effective population size and effect on allele frequencies

Parasitology ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 140 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. J. SCHALL ◽  
K. M. ST. DENIS
Keyword(s):  
Population Size ◽  
Effective Population Size ◽  
Malaria Parasite ◽  
Genetic Data ◽  
Parasite Prevalence ◽  
Allele Frequencies ◽  
The Other ◽  
Effective Population ◽  
Blood Smears ◽  
Parasite Plasmodium

SUMMARYChanges in population allele frequencies may be driven by several forces, including selection and drift, and are revealed only by sampling over many generations. Such studies, however, are rare for protist parasites. Microsatellite allele frequencies for 4 loci were followed in a population of Plasmodium mexicanum, a malaria parasite of lizards in California USA at 1 site from 1978 to 2010. Rapid turnover of the lizards indicates the parasite was studied for a minimum of 33 transmission cycles and possibly twice that number. Sample sizes ranged from 841 to 956 scored parasite clones per locus. DNA was extracted from frozen dried blood and blood removed from stained blood smears from the earliest years, and a verification study demonstrated DNA from the blood smears provided valid genetic data. Parasite prevalence and effective population size (Ne) dropped after 2000, remaining lower for the next decade. For 2 loci, allele frequencies appeared stable for the first 2 decades of the study, but changed more rapidly after the decline in prevalence. Allele frequencies changed more gradually for the other 2 loci. Genetic drift could account for changes in allele frequencies, especially after the drop in prevalence and Ne, but the force of selection could also have driven the observed patterns.

scholarly journals Sexual and developmental variations of ecto-parasitism in damselflies

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shatabdi Paul ◽  
Md Kawsar Khan ◽  
Marie E. Herberstein
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Natural Populations ◽  
Parasite Load ◽  
Parasite Prevalence ◽  
Total Body Length ◽  
Developmental Differences ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Developmental Variations ◽  
Species Specific

AbstractThe prevalence and intensity of parasitism can have different fitness costs between sexes, and across species and developmental stages. This variation could arise because of species specific sexual and developmental differences in body condition, immunity, and resistance. Theory predicts that the prevalence of parasitism will be greater in individuals with poor body condition and the intensity of parasitism will be greater in individuals with larger body size. These predictions have been tested and verified in vertebrates. In insects, however, contradictory evidence has been found in different taxa. Here, we tested these predictions on two species of Agriocnemis (Agriocnemis femina and Agriocnemis pygmaea) damselflies, which are parasitized by Arrenurus water mite ectoparasites. We measured body weight, total body length, abdomen area and thorax area of non-parasitized damselflies and found body condition varied between males and females, between immature females and mature females and between A. femina and A. pygmaea. Then, we calculated the parasite prevalence, i.e., the frequency of parasitism and intensity, i.e., the number of parasites per infected damselfly in eleven natural populations of both species. In line to our predictions, we observed greater prevalence in immature females than mature females but found no difference in parasite prevalence between males and females. Furthermore, we found that parasite load was higher in females than males and in immature females than mature females. Our result also showed that the frequency and intensity of parasitism varied between the two studied species, being higher in A. pygmaea than A. femina. Our study provides evidence that parasitism impacts sexes, developmental stages and species differentially and suggests that variation may occur due to sex, developmental stage, and species-specific resistance and tolerance mechanism.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document