1
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González-Bernardo E, Moreno-Rueda G, Camacho C, Martínez-Padilla J, Potti J, Canal D. Environmental conditions influence host-parasite interactions and host fitness in a migratory passerine. Integr Zool 2024. [PMID: 38978458 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
The study of host-parasite co-evolution is a central topic in evolutionary ecology. However, research is still fragmented and the extent to which parasites influence host life history is debated. One reason for this incomplete picture is the frequent omission of environmental conditions in studies analyzing host-parasite dynamics, which may influence the exposure to or effects of parasitism. To contribute to elucidating the largely unresolved question of how environmental conditions are related to the prevalence and intensity of infestation and their impact on hosts, we took advantage of 25 years of monitoring of a breeding population of pied flycatchers, Ficedula hypoleuca, in a Mediterranean area of central Spain. We investigated the influence of temperature and precipitation during the nestling stage at a local scale on the intensity of blowfly (Protocalliphora azurea) parasitism during the nestling stage. In addition, we explored the mediating effect of extrinsic and intrinsic factors and blowfly parasitism on breeding success (production of fledglings) and offspring quality (nestling mass on day 13). The prevalence and intensity of blowfly parasitism were associated with different intrinsic (host breeding date, brood size) and extrinsic (breeding habitat, mean temperature) factors. Specifically, higher average temperatures during the nestling phase were associated with lower intensities of parasitism, which may be explained by changes in blowflies' activity or larval developmental success. In contrast, no relationship was found between the prevalence of parasitism and any of the environmental variables evaluated. Hosts that experienced high parasitism intensities in their broods produced more fledglings as temperature increased, suggesting that physiological responses to severe parasitism during nestling development might be enhanced in warmer conditions. The weight of fledglings was, however, unrelated to the interactive effect of parasitism intensity and environmental conditions. Overall, our results highlight the temperature dependence of parasite-host interactions and the importance of considering multiple fitness indicators and climate-mediated effects to understand their complex implications for avian fitness and population dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrique González-Bernardo
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
- University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
| | | | - Carlos Camacho
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Seville, Spain
| | - Jesús Martínez-Padilla
- Department of Biological Conservation and Ecosystem Restoration, Pyrenean Institute of Ecology (IPE-CSIC), Jaca, Spain
| | - Jaime Potti
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Seville, Spain
| | - David Canal
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, National Museum of Natural Sciences (MNCN-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
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2
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Percara A, Quiroga MA, Beldomenico PM, Monje LD. Genetic diversity and geographic distribution of parasitic flies of the Philornis torquans complex in Argentina. MEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY 2021; 35:567-579. [PMID: 34129691 DOI: 10.1111/mve.12534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Revised: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Philornis Meinert 1890 (Diptera: Muscidae) is a genus of flies that parasitize birds in the Neotropical region. The characteristics of the host-parasite interactions and its consequences may depend on the Philornis species involved, and thus precise identification of these parasites is crucial for the interpretation of ecological and epidemiological studies. However, morphological identification of Argentine Philornis species is elusive while molecular evidence points towards the existence of a complex of cryptic species or lineages undergoing a speciation process, which were named the 'Philornis torquans complex'. Herein the authors extended the current knowledge on the systematics and biogeography of parasitic Philornis flies from Argentina, analysing samples collected in several ecoregions, including the Atlantic Forest, Iberá Wetlands, Open Fields and Grasslands, Espinal, Pampa, Dry Chaco, Humid Chaco, Delta and Paraná River Islands, Monte of Plains and Plateaus. The results of the present study strengthen the evidence on previously described Philornis genotypes using four genetic markers (ITS2, COI, ND6, 12S rRNA). The authors report new patterns of occurrence and describe the presence of a novel genotype of subcutaneous Philornis. In addition, the present study unveils ecological niche differences among genotypes of the Philornis torquans complex in southern South America.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Percara
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades, Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral (ICIVET-Litoral), Universidad Nacional del Litoral (UNL), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Esperanza, Argentina
| | - M A Quiroga
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades, Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral (ICIVET-Litoral), Universidad Nacional del Litoral (UNL), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Esperanza, Argentina
- The Peregrine Fund, Boise, ID, U.S.A
- Universidad Autónoma de Entre Ríos, Oro Verde, Argentina
| | - P M Beldomenico
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades, Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral (ICIVET-Litoral), Universidad Nacional del Litoral (UNL), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Esperanza, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, UNL, Esperanza, Argentina
| | - L D Monje
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades, Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral (ICIVET-Litoral), Universidad Nacional del Litoral (UNL), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Esperanza, Argentina
- Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, UNL, Santa Fe, Argentina
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3
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Arce SI, Saravia-Pietropaolo MJ, Saluzzo M, Manzoli DE, Antoniazzi LR, Quiroga MA, Beldomenico PM. Survey of Philornis (Diptera: Muscidae) larvae in adult birds from central Argentina. Parasitol Res 2021; 120:3905-3908. [PMID: 34561752 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-021-07322-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
The majority of known Philornis species (Diptera: Muscidae) cause subcutaneous myiasis in Neotropical altricial and semi-altricial nestlings. Generating information about these parasites is of relevance as they are a threat for the conservation of some wild bird species and also because they are an excellent model to study the ecology of host-parasite interactions. Although there are records of this parasitism in adult birds, the parasitic larvae are primarily associated with nestlings. However, systematic surveys including active search for larvae in older birds have been very scarce. Here we present results from a survey conducted along 6 years and encompassing a sample of 3029 subadult and adult birds in Santa Fe province, Argentina, where broods are frequently parasitised by the Philornis torquans complex. We found only one dipteran larva parasitising a greater thornbird. This larva was morphologically compatible with Philornis. Given the extremely low estimated prevalence (1/3029 = 0.03%), we conclude that the presence of larvae in subadult and adult birds is an extremely rare event in the studied bird community and that the species belonging to the P. torquans complex present in central Argentina are almost exclusively parasites of nestlings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia I Arce
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades, Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral (Universidad Nacional del Litoral - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas Y Técnicas), Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - María José Saravia-Pietropaolo
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades, Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral (Universidad Nacional del Litoral - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas Y Técnicas), Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Melisa Saluzzo
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades, Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral (Universidad Nacional del Litoral - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas Y Técnicas), Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Darío E Manzoli
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades, Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral (Universidad Nacional del Litoral - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas Y Técnicas), Santa Fe, Argentina.,Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, RP Kreder 2805, 3080, Esperanza, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Leandro R Antoniazzi
- Instituto de Bio Y Geociencias del NOA (Universidad Nacional de Salta - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas Y Técnicas), Av. 9 de Julio 14, Rosario de Lerma, Salta, Argentina
| | - Martín A Quiroga
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades, Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral (Universidad Nacional del Litoral - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas Y Técnicas), Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Pablo M Beldomenico
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades, Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral (Universidad Nacional del Litoral - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas Y Técnicas), Santa Fe, Argentina. .,Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, RP Kreder 2805, 3080, Esperanza, Santa Fe, Argentina.
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4
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Hayes CD, Hayes TI, Quiroga M, Thorstrom RK, Bond L, Anderson DL. Is the grass always greener on the other side? Weak relationships between vegetation cover and parasitic fly infestations. Parasitol Res 2021; 120:3497-3505. [PMID: 34490523 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-021-07287-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Understanding parasite-host ecology is increasingly important for conservation efforts in a changing world. Parasitic nest flies in the genus Philornis (Diptera: Muscidae) have been implicated in the decline of endemic island species and are also known to negatively impact breeding success of the critically endangered Ridgway's hawk (B. ridgwayi) on the island of Hispaniola. Despite the importance of these effects on hosts, and extensive research of Philornis downsi in the Galápagos, the ecology of most species of philornid nest flies is poorly understood. We examined biotic factors related to Philornis pici infestations of nestling Ridgway's hawks in the Dominican Republic, where both fly and hawk are native. We found grass-cover was negatively associated with P. pici infestations, while coverage and height of other vegetation classes (tree, shrub, herbaceous, and bare ground) had no association, which is interesting considering recent landscape-level changes to Ridgway's hawk habitat. Anthropogenic activities in Los Haitises National Park, the last strong-hold of Ridgway's hawk, have shifted the landscape from primary forest to a fragmented secondary forest with smallholder or subsistence farms and grassy patches. New information on the ecology of nest flies in their native habitat can inform conservation efforts and allow us to make recommendations for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine D Hayes
- The Peregrine Fund, Boise, ID, USA. .,Department of Biological Sciences, Boise State University, Boise, ID, USA.
| | | | - Martín Quiroga
- The Peregrine Fund, Boise, ID, USA.,Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades, Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral (ICIVET-Litoral), Universidad Nacional del Litoral - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (UNL-CONICET), Esperanza, Santa Fe, Argentina.,Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo, Santo Domingo, República Dominicana
| | | | - Laura Bond
- Biomolecular Research Center, Boise State University, Boise, ID, USA
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5
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Cuervo PF, Percara A, Monje L, Beldomenico PM, Quiroga MA. Environmental variables determining the distribution of an avian parasite: the case of the Philornis torquans complex in South America. MEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY 2021; 35:284-292. [PMID: 33112431 DOI: 10.1111/mve.12488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Revised: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Philornis flies are the major cause of myiasis in nestlings of Neotropical birds, being of major concern in geographically-restricted and endangered bird species. Despite its relevance for the conservation of birds, there is little information about the environmental dimensions determining Philornis spp. geographical range. By using maximum entropy, we identified for the first time the macro-environmental variables constraining the abiotic niche of the P. torquans complex in South America, and provided a model map of its potential distribution based on environmental suitability. We identified the minimum temperature of the coldest month as the most relevant variable, associated with the largest decrease in habitat suitability in Brazil and northern South America. Furthermore, the mean temperature of the warmest quarter limited suitability mostly along with the Andean range. In addition, humidity and moisture are influential factors in most of Argentina, northern Chile, and coastal Peru. The geographical projection suggests that environments in most of central-eastern Argentina, and in a broad area in central Chile, are suitable for the presence of the P. torquans complex. Besides providing information about the ecology of Philornis spp., this study represents a tool for bird conservation and a reference for future work on the distribution of this genus.
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Affiliation(s)
- P F Cuervo
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades, Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral (ICIVET-Litoral), Universidad Nacional del Litoral (UNL)/Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Esperanza, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - A Percara
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades, Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral (ICIVET-Litoral), Universidad Nacional del Litoral (UNL)/Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Esperanza, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - L Monje
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades, Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral (ICIVET-Litoral), Universidad Nacional del Litoral (UNL)/Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Esperanza, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - P M Beldomenico
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades, Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral (ICIVET-Litoral), Universidad Nacional del Litoral (UNL)/Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Esperanza, Santa Fe, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Esperanza, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - M A Quiroga
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades, Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral (ICIVET-Litoral), Universidad Nacional del Litoral (UNL)/Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Esperanza, Santa Fe, Argentina
- The Peregrine Fund, Boise, ID, U.S.A
- Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo, Santo Domingo, República Dominicana
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6
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Segura LN, Palacio FX. Quantifying the relative importance of direct and indirect effects influencing bird nestling growth. Integr Zool 2021; 17:408-419. [PMID: 33876575 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Nestling growth parameters are integral components of avian life-history strategies as they are crucial determinants of individual survival. Although many factors impact on nestling growth, the relative contribution of each one is still debated in the literature. Most studies rely on the assumption that each factor directly affects nestling growth, but indirect effects mediated by other factors are usually the rule in nature. In this study, we present a comprehensive view of both direct and indirect factors affecting nestling growth using the Red-crested Cardinal (Paroaria coronata) as model system. We evaluated the relative importance of different habitat (forest structure), biotic interactions (botfly larvae ectoparasitism, number of siblings, hatching order), and temporal factors (time of breeding) on nestling growth parameters in 278 nestlings of 128 nests by using piecewise structural equation models. We found that botfly ectoparasitism had the strongest direct effect on nestling growth and, in turn, forest structure increased the probability of botfly occurrence. Besides, the interaction between the number of siblings and hatching order influenced nestling growth, indicating that the first and second nestlings had disproportionately higher growth rates in large than in small clutches. Time of breeding also showed a strong positive indirect effect on botfly occurrence, as well as a weak direct positive effect on nestling growth. Our results demonstrate that, under natural conditions, nestling growth is driven by different factors acting not only directly, but also indirectly on this essential life history trait, and that these factors weave a complex web of interrelated variables.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luciano N Segura
- División Zoología Vertebrados, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Facundo X Palacio
- División Zoología Vertebrados, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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7
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Manzoli DE, Saravia-Pietropaolo MJ, Arce SI, Percara A, Antoniazzi LR, Beldomenico PM. Specialist by preference, generalist by need: availability of quality hosts drives parasite choice in a natural multihost-parasite system. Int J Parasitol 2021; 51:527-534. [PMID: 33713648 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2020.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Revised: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Encountering suitable hosts is key for parasite success. A general assumption for disease transmission is that the contact of a parasite with a potential host is driven by the density or relative frequency of hosts. That assumption ignores the potential role of differential host attractiveness for parasites that can drive the encounter of hosts. It has been posited that hosts may be chosen by parasites as a function of their suitability, but the existing literature addressing that hypothesis is still very scarce. In a natural system involving a parasitic Philornis botfly and its multiple bird hosts, there are profound differences in host quality. The Great Kiskadee tolerates and does not invest in resisting the infection, which makes it an optimal host. Alternative hosts are frequently used, but whilst some of them may be good options, others are bad alternatives. Here we examined the host selection processes that drive parasite dynamics in this system with 8 years of data from a longitudinal study under natural conditions. We found that the use of an alternative host was not driven by its density or relative frequency, but instead selection of these hosts was strongly dependent on availability of more suitable hosts. When optimal hosts are plentiful, the parasite tends to ignore alternative ones. As broods of optimal hosts become limited, good alternative hosts are targeted. The parasite chooses bad alternative hosts only when better alternatives are not sufficiently available. These results add evidence from a natural system that some parasites choose their hosts as a function of their profitability, and show that host selection by this parasite is plastic and context-dependent. Such findings could have important implications for the epidemiology of some parasitic and vector-borne infections which should be considered when modelling and managing those diseases. The facultative host selection observed here can be of high relevance for public health, animal husbandry, and biodiversity conservation, because reductions in the richness of hosts might cause humans, domestic animals, or endangered species to become increasingly targeted by parasites that can drive the encounter of hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darío Ezequiel Manzoli
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades, Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral (Universidad Nacional del Litoral - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas), Argentina; Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, RP Kreder 2805, 3080 Esperanza, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - María José Saravia-Pietropaolo
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades, Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral (Universidad Nacional del Litoral - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas), Argentina
| | - Sofía Irene Arce
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades, Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral (Universidad Nacional del Litoral - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas), Argentina
| | - Alejandro Percara
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades, Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral (Universidad Nacional del Litoral - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas), Argentina
| | - Leandro Raúl Antoniazzi
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades, Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral (Universidad Nacional del Litoral - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas), Argentina
| | - Pablo Martín Beldomenico
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades, Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral (Universidad Nacional del Litoral - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas), Argentina; Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, RP Kreder 2805, 3080 Esperanza, Santa Fe, Argentina.
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8
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LoScerbo D, Farrell MJ, Arrowsmith J, Mlynarek J, Lessard J. Phylogenetically conserved host traits and local abiotic conditions jointly drive the geography of parasite intensity. Funct Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Daniella LoScerbo
- Department of Biology Concordia University Montréal QC Canada
- Department of Environmental Sciences Simon Fraser University Burnaby BC Canada
| | - Maxwell J. Farrell
- Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Department University of Toronto Toronto ON Canada
- Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases University of Georgia Athens GA USA
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9
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Webb M, Alves F, Tulloch A, Shaw J, Bryant S, Stojanovic D, Crates R, Heinsohn R. All the eggs in one basket: Are island refuges securing an endangered passerine? AUSTRAL ECOL 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.12693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Webb
- Fenner School of Environment and Society; Building 141, Linnaeus Way Canberra ACT 2601 Australia
| | - Fernanda Alves
- Research School of Biology; Australian National University; Acton Australian Capital Territory Australia
| | - Ayesha Tulloch
- Fenner School of Environment and Society; Building 141, Linnaeus Way Canberra ACT 2601 Australia
| | - Justine Shaw
- School of Biological Science; Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science; The University of Queensland; St Lucia Queensland Australia
| | - Sally Bryant
- Tasmanian Land Conservancy; Sandy Bay Tasmania Australia
| | - Dejan Stojanovic
- Fenner School of Environment and Society; Building 141, Linnaeus Way Canberra ACT 2601 Australia
| | - Ross Crates
- Fenner School of Environment and Society; Building 141, Linnaeus Way Canberra ACT 2601 Australia
| | - Robert Heinsohn
- Fenner School of Environment and Society; Building 141, Linnaeus Way Canberra ACT 2601 Australia
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10
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Occurrence of the Parasitic Fly Philornis torquans on Fledglings of the Rufous-Fronted Thornbird ( Phacellodomus rufifrons) in Southeast Brazil. J Wildl Dis 2018; 55:462-466. [PMID: 30475659 DOI: 10.7589/2018-04-104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Philornis is a neotropical genus of muscid fly that interacts with birds and may affect the development and survival of the birds' offspring. Although Philornis is a relatively common parasite, there is a lack of information about Philornis hosts in several parts of the Americas. In this study, two nests of the Rufousfronted Thornbird ( Phacellodomus rufifrons) were collected in Pedro Leopoldo, southeast Brazil. The first contained four nestlings of advanced age (about 20 d old) and a recently emerged Philornis torquans female adult fly. The second nest contained three nestlings (less than 7 d old) and several Philornis torquans subcutaneous larvae. One of the nestlings was infested by 53 larvae, which had attacked several parts of its body and caused individual wounds containing 1 to more than 15 larvae. The length of the larvae ranged from 3 to 18 mm and only one was a second instar; the remaining 69 were third instars. The pupal period lasted 9-13 d. In total, 71 larvae were collected from the nest, with nestling parasitism varying from 7 to 53 larvae (mean- 23.7±25.5 larvae/nestling).
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11
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Hayes CD, Hayes TI, McClure CJW, Quiroga M, Thorstrom RK, Anderson DL. Native parasitic nest fly impacts reproductive success of an island‐endemic host. Anim Conserv 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- C. D. Hayes
- Department of Biological Sciences Boise State University Boise ID USA
- The Peregrine Fund Boise ID USA
| | | | | | - M. Quiroga
- The Peregrine Fund Boise ID USA
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral (ICIVET‐Litoral) Universidad Nacional del Litoral – Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (UNL‐CONICET) R.P. Kreder 2805 Esperanza Santa Fe Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencia y Tecnología Universidad Autónoma de Entre Ríos (UAdER) Oro Verde Argentina
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12
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Edworthy AB, Langmore NE, Heinsohn R. Native fly parasites are the principal cause of nestling mortality in endangered Tasmanian pardalotes. Anim Conserv 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- A. B. Edworthy
- Research School of Biology Australian National University Canberra ACT Australia
| | - N. E. Langmore
- Research School of Biology Australian National University Canberra ACT Australia
| | - R. Heinsohn
- Fenner School of Environment and Society Australian National University Canberra ACT Australia
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13
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Manzoli DE, Saravia-Pietropaolo MJ, Antoniazzi LR, Barengo E, Arce SI, Quiroga MA, Beldomenico PM. Contrasting consequences of different defence strategies in a natural multihost-parasite system. Int J Parasitol 2018; 48:445-455. [PMID: 29391194 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2017.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2017] [Revised: 11/01/2017] [Accepted: 11/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Hosts counteract infections using two distinct defence strategies, resistance (reduction in pathogen fitness) and tolerance (limitation of infection damage). These strategies have been minimally investigated in multi-host systems, where they may vary across host species, entailing consequences both for hosts (virulence) and parasites (transmission). Comprehending the interplay among resistance, tolerance, virulence and parasite success is highly relevant for our understanding of the ecology and evolution of infectious and parasitic diseases. Our work investigated the interaction between an insect parasite and its most common bird host species, focusing on two relevant questions: (i) are defence strategies different between main and alternative hosts and, (ii) what are the consequences (virulence and parasite success) of different defence strategies? We conducted a matched field experiment and longitudinal studies at the host and the parasite levels under natural conditions, using a system comprising Philornis torquans flies and three bird hosts - the main host and two of the most frequently used alternative hosts. We found that main and alternative hosts have contrasting defence strategies, which gave rise in turn to contrasting virulence and parasite success. In the main bird host, minor loss of fitness, no detectable immune response, and high parasite success suggest a strategy of high tolerance and negligible resistance. Alternative hosts, on the contrary, resisted by mounting inflammatory responses, although with very different efficiency, which resulted in highly dissimilar parasite success and virulence. These results show clearly distinct defence strategies between main and alternative hosts in a natural multi-host system. They also highlight the importance of defence strategies in determining virulence and infection dynamics, and hint that defence efficiency is a crucial intervening element in these processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darío E Manzoli
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades, Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral (ICiVet-Litoral), Universidad Nacional del Litoral (UNL) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), RP Kreder 2805, 3080 Esperanza, Santa Fe, Argentina; Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Argentina
| | - María J Saravia-Pietropaolo
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades, Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral (ICiVet-Litoral), Universidad Nacional del Litoral (UNL) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), RP Kreder 2805, 3080 Esperanza, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Leandro R Antoniazzi
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades, Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral (ICiVet-Litoral), Universidad Nacional del Litoral (UNL) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), RP Kreder 2805, 3080 Esperanza, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Emilce Barengo
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades, Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral (ICiVet-Litoral), Universidad Nacional del Litoral (UNL) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), RP Kreder 2805, 3080 Esperanza, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Sofía I Arce
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades, Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral (ICiVet-Litoral), Universidad Nacional del Litoral (UNL) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), RP Kreder 2805, 3080 Esperanza, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Martín A Quiroga
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades, Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral (ICiVet-Litoral), Universidad Nacional del Litoral (UNL) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), RP Kreder 2805, 3080 Esperanza, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Pablo M Beldomenico
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades, Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral (ICiVet-Litoral), Universidad Nacional del Litoral (UNL) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), RP Kreder 2805, 3080 Esperanza, Santa Fe, Argentina; Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Argentina.
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McNew SM, Clayton DH. Alien Invasion: Biology of Philornis Flies Highlighting Philornis downsi, an Introduced Parasite of Galápagos Birds. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ENTOMOLOGY 2018; 63:369-387. [PMID: 29058976 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ento-020117-043103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The muscid genus Philornis comprises approximately 50 described species of flies, nearly all of which are obligate parasites of nestling birds. Philornis species are native to the Neotropics and widely distributed from Florida to Argentina. Most research on this group has focused on P. downsi, which was introduced to the Galápagos Islands in the late twentieth century. Although Philornis parasitism kills nestlings in several native host species, nowhere do the effects seem more severe than in P. downsi in the Galápagos. Here, we review studies of native and introduced Philornis in an attempt to identify factors that may influence virulence and consider implications for the conservation of hosts in the Galápagos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina M McNew
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112-0840, USA;
| | - Dale H Clayton
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112-0840, USA;
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15
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Fessl B, Heimpel GE, Causton CE. Invasion of an Avian Nest Parasite, Philornis downsi, to the Galapagos Islands: Colonization History, Adaptations to Novel Ecosystems, and Conservation Challenges. DISEASE ECOLOGY 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-65909-1_9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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16
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Salinas-Ramos VB, Zaldívar-Riverón A, Rebollo-Hernández A, Herrera-M LG. Seasonal variation of bat-flies (Diptera: Streblidae) in four bat species from a tropical dry forest. MAMMALIA 2017. [DOI: 10.1515/mammalia-2016-0176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Seasonality of climate promotes differences in abundance and species composition of parasites, affecting host-parasite interactions. Studies have reported seasonal variation in bat-flies, which are obligate bat ectoparasites. We characterized the bat-fly load of three insectivores [Pteronotus davyi (Gray), Pteronotus parnellii (Gray) and Pteronotus personatus (Wagner)] and one nectarivorous [Leptonycteris yerbabuenae (Martínez and Villa-R.)] bat species in a tropical dry forest to test the existence of seasonality in response to the availability of resources during the wet and dry seasons. We collected 3710 bat-fly specimens belonging to six species and two genera from 497 bats. Most of the ectoparasite load parameters examined (mean abundance, mean intensity, richness, etc.), including comparisons among reproductive conditions and sex of the host, were similar in both seasons. Prevalence was the parameter that varied the most between seasons. The six bat-fly species were found in all bat species except P. personatus. The latter species and L. yerbabuenae had four and five bat-fly species in the wet and dry seasons, respectively. This study provides significant information of ectoparasites ecology in relation to seasonality, contributes to the understanding of host-parasite relationships in tropical dry forests and discusses the relevance of the abiotic and biotic factors that could impact host-parasite interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria B. Salinas-Ramos
- Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto de Biología , Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México , A. P. 70-153, Ciudad de México , C. P. 04510 , Mexico
| | - Alejandro Zaldívar-Riverón
- Instituto de Biología , Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México , Ciudad de México , C. P. 04510 , Mexico
| | - Andrea Rebollo-Hernández
- Laboratorio de Acarología, Facultad de Ciencias , Departamento de Biología Comparada , Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México , Ciudad de México , C. P. 04510 , Mexico
| | - L. Gerardo Herrera-M
- Estación de Biología Chamela, Instituto de Biología , Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México , A.P. 21, San Patricio, C. P. 48980 , Jalisco , Mexico
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17
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Quiroga MA, Monje LD, Arrabal JP, Beldomenico PM. New molecular data on subcutaneous Philornis (Diptera: Muscidae) from southern South America suggests the existence of a species complex. REV MEX BIODIVERS 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.rmb.2016.10.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
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18
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Saravia‐Pietropaolo MJ, Manzoli DE, Antoniazzi LR, Quiroga MA, Beldomenico PM. Effect of natural brood size variability on growth and survival of thornbird nestlings. J Zool (1987) 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- M. J. Saravia‐Pietropaolo
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral Universidad Nacional del Litoral – Consejo de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (UNL – CONICET) Esperanza Santa Fe Argentina
| | - D. E. Manzoli
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral Universidad Nacional del Litoral – Consejo de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (UNL – CONICET) Esperanza Santa Fe Argentina
| | - L. R. Antoniazzi
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral Universidad Nacional del Litoral – Consejo de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (UNL – CONICET) Esperanza Santa Fe Argentina
| | - M. A. Quiroga
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral Universidad Nacional del Litoral – Consejo de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (UNL – CONICET) Esperanza Santa Fe Argentina
| | - P. M. Beldomenico
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral Universidad Nacional del Litoral – Consejo de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (UNL – CONICET) Esperanza Santa Fe Argentina
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López L, Izquierdo A, Manzoli D, Beldoménico P, Giovanini L. A myiasis model for Philornis torquans (Diptera: Muscidae) and Pitangus sulphuratus (Passeriformes: Tyrannidae). Ecol Modell 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2016.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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20
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Edworthy AB. Avian hosts, prevalence and larval life history of the ectoparasitic fly Passeromyia longicornis (Diptera : Muscidae) in south-eastern Tasmania. AUST J ZOOL 2016. [DOI: 10.1071/zo15060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Blood-sucking fly larvae are widespread parasites of nestling birds, but in many systems we lack knowledge of their basic biology. This study reports the first observation of an endemic Tasmanian fly species, Passeromyia longicornis (Diptera : Muscidae), parasitising the forty-spotted pardalote (Pardalotus quadragintus), another Tasmanian endemic. Because the forty-spotted pardalote is an endangered and declining songbird, P. longicornis is a species of interest to conservation biologists. Its larval form is an obligate, subcutaneous parasite of nestling birds, but before this study, there were just two published records of the species infesting avian hosts, and little known about its ecology or life cycle. This study documented hosts, prevalence, and larval life history of P. longicornis by locating and monitoring nests and ectoparasites of the forest bird community in south-eastern Tasmania. I also reared P. longicornis larvae in captivity to determine the length of the pupal stage in relationship to ambient temperature. Hosts of P. longicornis included forty-spotted pardalotes (87% prevalence across nests), striated pardalotes (Pardalotus striatus) (88% prevalence), and New Holland honeyeaters (Phylidonyris novaehollandiae) (11% prevalence). Both pardalote species were new host records. P. longicornis larvae burrowed under the skin of nestlings where they developed for 4–7 days, feeding on nestling blood. When fully grown, larvae dropped into the surrounding nest material and formed pupae. Length of the pupal stage was 14–21 days, and declined with increasing ambient temperature. Median parasite abundance was 15 larvae in infested forty-spotted pardalote nests and 11 larvae in infested striated pardalote nests. Nestling mortality was frequently associated with ectoparasite presence. This study provides the first survey of P. longicornis hosts, prevalence and life cycle, and shows that this species is likely a major player in the ecology of pardalotes, and possibly other forest bird species in Tasmania.
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21
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Environmental proxies of antigen exposure explain variation in immune investment better than indices of pace of life. Oecologia 2014; 177:281-90. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-014-3136-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2014] [Accepted: 10/24/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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22
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Cimadom A, Ulloa A, Meidl P, Zöttl M, Zöttl E, Fessl B, Nemeth E, Dvorak M, Cunninghame F, Tebbich S. Invasive parasites, habitat change and heavy rainfall reduce breeding success in Darwin's finches. PLoS One 2014; 9:e107518. [PMID: 25248092 PMCID: PMC4172424 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0107518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2013] [Accepted: 08/19/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive alien parasites and pathogens are a growing threat to biodiversity worldwide, which can contribute to the extinction of endemic species. On the Galápagos Islands, the invasive parasitic fly Philornis downsi poses a major threat to the endemic avifauna. Here, we investigated the influence of this parasite on the breeding success of two Darwin's finch species, the warbler finch (Certhidea olivacea) and the sympatric small tree finch (Camarhynchus parvulus), on Santa Cruz Island in 2010 and 2012. While the population of the small tree finch appeared to be stable, the warbler finch has experienced a dramatic decline in population size on Santa Cruz Island since 1997. We aimed to identify whether warbler finches are particularly vulnerable during different stages of the breeding cycle. Contrary to our prediction, breeding success was lower in the small tree finch than in the warbler finch. In both species P. downsi had a strong negative impact on breeding success and our data suggest that heavy rain events also lowered the fledging success. On the one hand parents might be less efficient in compensating their chicks' energy loss due to parasitism as they might be less efficient in foraging on days of heavy rain. On the other hand, intense rainfalls might lead to increased humidity and more rapid cooling of the nests. In the case of the warbler finch we found that the control of invasive plant species with herbicides had a significant additive negative impact on the breeding success. It is very likely that the availability of insects (i.e. food abundance)is lower in such controlled areas, as herbicide usage led to the removal of the entire understory. Predation seems to be a minor factor in brood loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arno Cimadom
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Angel Ulloa
- Charles Darwin Foundation, Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island, Galápagos, Ecuador
| | - Patrick Meidl
- Institute for Science and Technology, Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Markus Zöttl
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Elisabet Zöttl
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Birgit Fessl
- Charles Darwin Foundation, Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island, Galápagos, Ecuador
| | | | | | | | - Sabine Tebbich
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- * E-mail:
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Hersh MH, LaDeau SL, Previtali MA, Ostfeld RS. When is a parasite not a parasite? Effects of larval tick burdens on white-footed mouse survival. Ecology 2014; 95:1360-9. [PMID: 25000767 DOI: 10.1890/12-2156.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Many animal species can carry considerable burdens of ectoparasites: parasites living on the outside of a host's body. Ectoparasite infestation can decrease host survival, but the magnitude and even direction of survival effects can vary depending on the type of ectoparasite and the nature and duration of the association. When ectoparasites also serve as vectors of pathogens, the effects of ectoparasite infestation on host survival have the potential to alter disease dynamics by regulating host populations and stabilizing transmission. We quantified the impact of larval Ixodes scapularis tick burdens on both within-season and overwinter survival of white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus) using a hierarchical Bayesian capture-mark-recapture model. I. scapularis and P. leucopus are, respectively, vectors and competent reservoirs for the causative agents of Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, and babesiosis. Using a data set of 5587 individual mouse capture histories over sixteen years, we found little evidence for any effect of tick burdens on either within-season or overwinter mouse survival probabilities. In male mice, tick burdens were positively correlated with within-season survival probabilities. Mean maximum tick burdens were also positively correlated with population rates of change during the concurrent breeding season. The apparent indifference of mice to high tick burdens may contribute to their effectiveness as reservoir hosts for several human zoonotic pathogens.
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Meléndez L, Laiolo P, Mironov S, García M, Magaña O, Jovani R. Climate-driven variation in the intensity of a host-symbiont animal interaction along a broad elevation gradient. PLoS One 2014; 9:e101942. [PMID: 25025873 PMCID: PMC4099072 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0101942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2014] [Accepted: 06/13/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Gradients of environmental stress may affect biotic interactions in unpredictable ways responding to climate variation, depending on the abiotic stress tolerance of interacting partners. Here, we study the effect of local climate on the intensity of feather mites in six mountain passerines along a 1400 m elevational gradient characterized by shifting temperature and rainfall. Although obligatory symbionts of warm-blooded organisms are assumed to live in mild and homeothermic environments, those inhabiting external, non-blood-irrigated body portions of the host organism, such as feather mites, are expected to endure exposure to the direct influence of a fluctuating climate. As expected, feather mite intensity declined with elevation in all bird species, a pattern that was also found in cold-adapted passerines that have typical alpine habits. The elevation cline was mainly explained by a positive effect of the average temperature upon mite intensity in five of the six species studied. Precipitation explained less variance in mite intensity than average temperature, and showed a negative correlation in half of the studied species. We found no climate-driven migration of mites along the wings of birds, no replacement of mite species along elevation gradients and no association with available food resources for mites (estimated by the size of the uropygial gland). This study suggests that ectosymbionts of warm-blooded animals may be highly sensitive to climatic variation and become less abundant under stressful environmental conditions, providing empirical evidence of the decline of specialized biotic interactions among animal species at high elevations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leandro Meléndez
- Research Unit of Biodiversity (UO, CSIC, PA), Oviedo University, Campus de Mieres, Mieres, Spain
| | - Paola Laiolo
- Research Unit of Biodiversity (UO, CSIC, PA), Oviedo University, Campus de Mieres, Mieres, Spain
| | - Sergey Mironov
- Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Universitetskaya Embankment 1, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Mónica García
- Research Unit of Biodiversity (UO, CSIC, PA), Oviedo University, Campus de Mieres, Mieres, Spain
| | - Oscar Magaña
- Research Unit of Biodiversity (UO, CSIC, PA), Oviedo University, Campus de Mieres, Mieres, Spain
| | - Roger Jovani
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC), Avda, Americo Vespucio s/n, Sevilla, Spain
- * E-mail:
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Sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) from Philornis seguyi (García, 1952) and Philornis torquans (Nielsen, 1913) (Diptera: Muscidae). Syst Parasitol 2013; 86:43-51. [DOI: 10.1007/s11230-013-9428-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2013] [Accepted: 06/05/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Manzoli DE, Antoniazzi LR, Saravia MJ, Silvestri L, Rorhmann D, Beldomenico PM. Multi-level determinants of parasitic fly infection in forest passerines. PLoS One 2013; 8:e67104. [PMID: 23874408 PMCID: PMC3707910 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0067104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2013] [Accepted: 05/14/2013] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The study of myiasis is important because they may cause problems to the livestock industry, public health, or wildlife conservation. The ecology of parasitic dipterans that cause myiasis is singular, as they actively seek their hosts over relatively long distances. However, studies that address the determinants of myiasis dynamics are very scarce. The genus Philornis include species that may be excellent models to study myiasis ecology, as they exclusively parasitize bird nestlings, which stay in their nests until they are fully fledged, and larvae remain at the point of entry until the parasitic stage is over, thus allowing the collection of sequential individual-level infection data from virtually all the hosts present at a particular area. Here we offer a stratified multi-level analysis of longitudinal data of Philornis torquans parasitism in replicated forest bird communities of central Argentina. Using Generalized Linear Models and Generalized Linear Mixed Models and an information theory approach for model selection, we conducted four groups of analyses, each with a different study unit, the individual, the brood, the community at a given week, and the community at a given year. The response variable was larval abundance per nestling or mean abundance per nestling. At each level, models included the variables of interest of that particular level, and also potential confounders and effect modifiers of higher levels. We found associations of large magnitude at all levels, but only few variables truly governed the dynamics of this parasite. At the individual level, the infection was determined by the species and the age of the host. The main driver of parasite abundance at the microhabitat level was the average height of the forest, and at the community level, the density of hosts and prior rainfall. This multi-level approach contributed to a better understanding of the ecology of myiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darío Ezequiel Manzoli
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades, Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral, Universidad Nacional del Litoral - Consejo de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (UNL - CONICET), Esperanza, Santa Fe, Argentina.
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Zamora-Vilchis I, Williams SE, Johnson CN. Environmental temperature affects prevalence of blood parasites of birds on an elevation gradient: implications for disease in a warming climate. PLoS One 2012; 7:e39208. [PMID: 22723966 PMCID: PMC3378574 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0039208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2011] [Accepted: 05/21/2012] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The rising global temperature is predicted to expand the distribution of vector-borne diseases both in latitude and altitude. Many host communities could be affected by increased prevalence of disease, heightening the risk of extinction for many already threatened species. To understand how host communities could be affected by changing parasite distributions, we need information on the distribution of parasites in relation to variables like temperature and rainfall that are predicted to be affected by climate change. Methodology/Principal Findings We determined relations between prevalence of blood parasites, temperature, and seasonal rainfall in a bird community of the Australian Wet Tropics along an elevation gradient. We used PCR screening to investigate the prevalence and lineage diversity of four genera of blood parasites (Plasmodium, Haemoproteus, Leucocytozoon and Trypanosoma) in 403 birds. The overall prevalence of the four genera of blood parasites was 32.3%, with Haemoproteus the predominant genus. A total of 48 unique lineages were detected. Independent of elevation, parasite prevalence was positively and strongly associated with annual temperature. Parasite prevalence was elevated during the dry season. Conclusions/Significance Low temperatures of the higher elevations can help to reduce both the development of avian haematozoa and the abundance of parasite vectors, and hence parasite prevalence. In contrast, high temperatures of the lowland areas provide an excellent environment for the development and transmission of haematozoa. We showed that rising temperatures are likely to lead to increased prevalence of parasites in birds, and may force shifts of bird distribution to higher elevations. We found that upland tropical areas are currently a low-disease habitat and their conservation should be given high priority in management plans under climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Itzel Zamora-Vilchis
- Centre for Tropical Biodiversity and Climate Change, School of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia.
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Distribution and abundance of Darwin’s finches and other land birds on Santa Cruz Island, Galápagos: evidence for declining populations. ORYX 2011. [DOI: 10.1017/s0030605311000597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractPopulation monitoring is a vital tool for conservation management and for testing hypotheses about population trends in changing environments. Darwin’s finches on Santa Cruz Island in the Galápagos archipelago have experienced habitat alteration because of human activity, introduced predators, parasites and disease. We used point counts to conduct systematic quantitative surveys of Darwin’s finches and other land birds between 1997 and 2010. The temporal analysis revealed that six of the nine species investigated declined significantly and that this decline was most pronounced at higher elevations in humid native forest and agricultural areas; the highland areas have been most affected by introduced species or direct human impact. Five of the six declining species are insectivorous, which suggests that changes in insect abundance or insect availability are a critical factor in the declines. Further study is required to test this idea. Other factors including habitat alteration and introduced parasites or pathogens may be contributing to the observed declines.
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Silvestri L, Antoniazzi LR, Couri MS, Monje LD, Beldomenico PM. First record of the avian ectoparasite Philornis downsi Dodge & Aitken, 1968 (Diptera: Muscidae) in Argentina. Syst Parasitol 2011; 80:137-40. [PMID: 21898202 DOI: 10.1007/s11230-011-9314-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2011] [Accepted: 05/02/2011] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Species of Philornis Meinert, 1890 (Diptera, Muscidae) are Neotropical dipterans that include species with parasitic larvae which feed on nestling birds. To date, all Philornis species that have been recorded from Argentina have parasitic subcutaneous larvae. Here, for the first time for Argentina, we report the finding of Philornis downsi Dodge & Aitken, 1968, a fly with a nest-dwelling, semi-haematophagous larva. This record, from the humid Chaco ecoregion of Argentina in the nest of a saffron finch Sicalis flaveola pelzelni Sclater, substantially extends the known distribution of this species. We also report the consensus sequences of the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) and ITS2 regions of three of the specimens for future reference and comparison. Further investigation is needed to determine whether Argentina is part of the historical range of P. downsi or, alternatively, represents a recent expansion of its range, perhaps due to climatic changes or other factors of global environmental variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Silvestri
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, RP Kreder 2805, 3080, Esperanza, Santa Fe, Argentina
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