Work

Are the helminth communities from unisexual and bisexual lizards different? Evidence from gastrointestinal parasites of Darevskia spp. in Turkey

Year: 2015

Type: article

Abstract: Specimens of three species of parthenogenetic lizards (Darevskia uzzelli, D. bendimahiensis, and D. sapphirina) from northeastern Turkey were examined for gastrointestinal parasites.Only one species, the nematode Spauligodon saxicolae (Pharyngodonidae), was found.The extremely low infection and diversity parameters, falling among the lowest within the Palaearctic saurians, support depauperate helminth communities for these parthenogenetic lacertid lizards.Our results suggest that parthenogenetic Darevskia follow a pattern of parasitism similar to other unisexual lizards (i.e.Aspidocelis).The low rates of infection and diversity may be explained by the decreasing opportunities for interchanging helminths rather than factors of susceptibility of unisexual hosts.

Source: Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae

DOI: 10.17109/azh.61.3.6.2015

Authors: Vicente Roca, Fátima Jorge, Çetin Ilgaz, Yusuf Kumlutaș, Salih Hakan Durmuș, Miguel A. Carretero

Institutions: Universitat de València, Universidade do Porto, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Dokuz Eylül University

Language: English

Topic: Parasite Biology and Host Interactions

Subfield: Parasitology

Field: Immunology and Microbiology

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: diamond

Funders: Ministério da Educação e Ciência, Ministério da Educação, Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, European Social Fund

Awards: HOST-PARASITE COEVOLUTION FROM A GEOGRAPHIC PERSPECTIVE: HOW MUCH DOES HOST SPECIFICITY MATTER?, G1578237752, Evolução da ecofisiologia em lagartos. Aplicando rastreio de caracteres e modelos mecanísticos