Nematode Parasites of Vertebrates: Their Development and Transmission

Fil: Vaira, Marcos. Universidad Nacional de Jujuy. Facultad de Ingenieria. Centro de Investigaciones Basicas y Aplicadas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Museo de Ciencias Naturales. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA; Argentina

/pdf/categorizacion-del-estado-de-conservacion-de-los-anfibios-de-1trwo2y5p8.pdf

Categorización del estado de conservación de los anfibios de la República Argentina

Parasitological studies on helminths of amphibians in South America have increased in the past few years. Here, we present a list with summarized data published on helminths of South American amphibians from 1925 to 2012, including a list of helminth parasites, host species, and geographic records. We found 194 reports of helminths parasitizing 185 amphibian species from eleven countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Equador, French Guyana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. Helminth biodiversity includes 278 parasite species of the groups Acanthocephala, Nematoda, Cestoda, Monogenea and Trematoda. A list of helminth parasite species per host, and references are also presented. This contribution aims to document the biodiversity of helminth parasites in South American amphibians, as well as identify gaps in our knowledge, which in turn may guide subsequent studies.

/pdf/checklist-of-helminth-parasites-of-amphibians-from-south-3np9x665wg.pdf

Checklist of Helminth parasites of Amphibians from South America.

One hundred seventy-two frogs (Leptodactylus chaquensis) were collected from November 2002 to November 2003, in agricultural (n = 132) and nonagricultural (n = 40) areas. Both sites are near the city of Corrientes, Argentina. The main goals of this study were as follows: (1) to determine the helminth parasite community in agricultural and nonagricultural habitats; (2) to analyze the relationships between helminth parasites and site of infection, frog body size, and gender; (3) to identify and examine covariation and association of helminth communities; and (4) to determine the mean richness and diversity of parasite communities. The helminth compound community of this amphibian species consisted of 24 species: 19 in agricultural habitats and 18 in nonagricultural habitats. The mean richness, mean diversity, and evenness of helminths were significantly different between the habitats (P < 0.05). The body size of the host was the important factor in determining parasite richness. Both habitats exhibited differences in community ordination. The helminth species in the 2 habitats exhibited the same interspecific relationships, although differences were observed in the intensity of infection.

https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdfplus/40058651.pdf

Species affinity and infracommunity ordination of helminths of leptodactylus chaquensis (anura: leptodactylidae) in two contrasting environments from northeastern argentina

A total of 36 adult individuals of Leptodactylus latinasus were collected near the city of Corrientes, Province of Corrientes in Argentina. The main goals of this study were: (1) to determine the helminth parasite fauna of L. latinasus; (2) to determine the richness and diversity of parasites at the component and infracommunity levels; (3) to analyze the relationships between helminth, frog body size and sex, and (4) to identify and examine species affinity of helminth communities. The helminth component community of this frog’s population consisted of 17 species. The predominant groups of parasites were the trematodes (adults: Glypthelmins repandum, Catadiscus inopinatus and Haematoloechus longiplexus; larvae: Travtrema aff. stenocotyle, Bursotrema aff. tetracotyloides, Styphlodora sp., unknown opisthogonimid species, Petasiger sp. and unknown strigeid species), followed by the nematodes (Cosmocerca podicipinus, C. parva, C. rara, C. cruzi, Schrankiana schranki and Aplectana hylambatis); other groups of parasites were represented by only one species (unknown larval cestode species and Centrorhynchus sp.). All parasite helminth species showed an aggregated pattern of distribution. The most infected organs were kidneys, small intestine, large intestine and pharyngeal zone. The host body size was important in determining the parasites abundance of G. repandum. At the level of component community G. repandum was the species with highest prevalence of infection and Bursotrema aff. tetracotyloides was the dominant species. Helminth species showed four significant pairs of covariation and two significant pairs of association in the infracommunities of Leptodactylus latinasus.

/pdf/helminth-community-structure-of-the-oven-frog-leptodactylus-zmdh2oer3x.pdf

Helminth community structure of the oven frog Leptodactylus latinasus (Anura, Leptodactylidae) from Corrientes, Argentina

Niche overlap and resource partitioning among five sympatric bufonids (Anura, Bufonidae) from northeastern Argentina. The niche overlap and resource partitioning were analyzed for five sympatric bufonids from Northeastern Argenti- na: Rhinella schneideri, R. bergi, R. fernandezae, R. granulosa, and Melanophryniscus cupreuscapularis. The primary objectives were to analyze the diet and pattern of coexistence relative to the microhabitats among species. The bufonids, which are primarily terrestrial, exhibited a preference for small, hard prey such as formicids or coleopterans. The smallest species preferably consumed ants, while R. schneideri preferred beetles. Significant differences were detected for the diets of these five species. In addition, significant overlap in the trophic niche was noted for all species except between R. granulosa and R. schneideri. Studying the diet behaviors and trophic parameters of sympatric species provides important data for understanding the community and for the development of conservation guidelines.

/pdf/niche-overlap-and-resource-partitioning-among-five-sympatric-8q0vp5e5zb.pdf

Niche overlap and resource partitioning among five sympatric bufonids (Anura, Bufonidae) from northeastern Argentina

We studied the trophic and reproductive ecology and document the helminth fauna of the Cei's white-lipped frog, Leptodactylus chaquensis, from north-eastern Argentina. This frog is a generalist predator, using an intermediate strategy between active foraging and sit and wait predation. The diet consisted of 17 types of prey and was dominated numerically and volumetrically by coleopterans. The number of mature ova per female (ovarian complement) ranged from 3113 to 16234, and the ovum diameter varied from 0.4 to 1.2 mm. The testes mass ranged from 0.32 to 1.54 g, and the species has an explosive reproductive pattern. The parasite fauna was rich, consisting of 20 species of helminths (twelve trematodes, one cestodes, six nematodes and one acanthocephalan), the kidneys, lungs and large intestine being the organs most infected. The trophic niche breadth and the habitats where this species is living structured the parasite community.

Trophic, reproductive and parasitological aspects of the ecology of Leptodactylus chaquensis (Anura: Leptodactylidae) in Argentina

The main objectives of this paper were to update the distribution range of Pseudopaludicola boliviana in Argentina, to determine its diet composition and the feeding patterns, to analyze some reproductive variables as mature ova count and diameter in relation to female snoutvent length, to describe the advertisement call for Argentinean populations, and to identify and to localize its helminth parasites. Eleven prey types were identified; dipterans were more important both in number (23.53%) and in volume (41.30%); other important preys were collembolans, arachnids and coleopterans. The trophic niche width was 7.15 and the standardized trophic niche value was 0.61. Ovarian complement (number of mature ova for female) ranged from 50 to 319 (mean 175.3 ± 86.12), while ovum diameter ranged from 0.2 to 0.4 mm (mean 0.27 ± 0.062). The nuptial call is composed by five notes. The dominant frequency ranged from 3.488 to 5.927 kHz; emphasized frequency fluctuated between 4.942 and 5.224 kHz. A total of 10 helminth species (larvae and adults) were found in 54 (96%) infected frogs. Helminths were represented by Trematoda (7 species), Cestoda (1), Nematoda (1), and Acanthocephala (1).

/pdf/ecological-aspects-of-diet-reproduction-and-parasitism-of-3hrfg5pl87.pdf

Ecological aspects of diet, reproduction, and parasitism of Pseudopaludicola boliviana (Anura, Leptodactylidae) from Corrientes, Argentina

The main goals of this study were to determine the richness and diversity of helminth parasites of Leptodactylus bufonius at the component and infracommunity levels and evaluate whether the composition of the parasite community is determined by biotic and abiotic factors. In total, 76 specimens were collected near the city of Corrientes, Corrientes Province, Argentina. The helminth component community in L. bufonius in this area was comprised of 16 species. The predominant groups of helminth parasites (larval and adult) were trematodes (50%) followed by nematodes (38%); other groups of parasites were represented by only 1 species (Cestoda: Cylindrotaenia sp. and Acanthocephala: Centrorhynchus sp.). Helminth species showed unequal abundances with a typical aggregated pattern of distribution. The prevalence of infection was 93% in specimens of L. bufonius examined. The main helminth species in the community was Aplectana hylambatis (importance value: I = 96.41), followed by Catadiscus inopinatus (I = 2.32). At the infracommunity level, the mean individual species richness was no more than 3 helminth species per infected host; the diversity and equitability of helminths were 0.18 ± 0.14 and 0.44 ± 0.32, respectively. The host body size was the main factor in determining the infrapopulation structure of various helminth species. Species richness was significantly and positively correlated with the host body size. Data revealed significant positive correlations between helminth species (Cat. inopinatus/Centrorhynchus sp. and A. hylambatis/Centrorhynchus sp.). A significant negative correlation was observed between A. hylambatis and Cos. podicipinus. Only 2 associations were found among the 7 species considered. The parasite community of L. bufonius showed wide variations in its helminth fauna and included helminths of aquatic and terrestrial habitats. The correspondence between host habits and parasite biology is reflected in the parasites harbored by these amphibian hosts.

/pdf/community-structure-of-helminth-parasites-of-leptodactylus-5a8xsi0at1.pdf

Arturo Ignacio Kehr

Papers

Helminth community structure of the oven frog Leptodactylus latinasus (Anura, Leptodactylidae) from Corrientes, Argentina

Niche overlap and resource partitioning among five sympatric bufonids (Anura, Bufonidae) from northeastern Argentina

Trophic, reproductive and parasitological aspects of the ecology of Leptodactylus chaquensis (Anura: Leptodactylidae) in Argentina

Ecological aspects of diet, reproduction, and parasitism of Pseudopaludicola boliviana (Anura, Leptodactylidae) from Corrientes, Argentina

Community Structure of Helminth Parasites of Leptodactylus bufonius (Anura: Leptodactylidae) from Northeastern Argentina