Can host body size explain the parasite species richness in tropical freshwater fishes?

Oecologia ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 90 (2) ◽  
pp. 197-204 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean-François Guégan ◽  
Alain Lambert ◽  
Christian Lévêque ◽  
Claude Combes ◽  
Louis Euzet
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Body Size ◽  
Parasite Species ◽  
Freshwater Fishes ◽  
Parasite Species Richness ◽  
Host Body ◽  
Host Body Size ◽  
Tropical Freshwater

scholarly journals A Few Good Reasons Why Species-Area Relationships Do Not Work for Parasites

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanni Strona ◽  
Simone Fattorini
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Body Size ◽  
Parasite Species ◽  
Enemy Release ◽  
Parasite Species Richness ◽  
Host Body ◽  
Ecological Features ◽  
Species Area ◽  
Host Parasite ◽  
Host Body Size

Several studies failed to find strong relationships between the biological and ecological features of a host and the number of parasite species it harbours. In particular, host body size and geographical range are generally only weak predictors of parasite species richness, especially when host phylogeny and sampling effort are taken into account. These results, however, have been recently challenged by a meta-analytic study that suggested a prominent role of host body size and range extent in determining parasite species richness (species-area relationships). Here we argue that, in general, results from meta-analyses should not discourage researchers from investigating the reasons for the lack of clear patterns, thus proposing a few tentative explanations to the fact that species-area relationships are infrequent or at least difficult to be detected in most host-parasite systems. The peculiar structure of host-parasite networks, the enemy release hypothesis, the possible discrepancy between host and parasite ranges, and the evolutionary tendency of parasites towards specialization may explain why the observed patterns often do not fit those predicted by species-area relationships.

Metazoan parasite species richness in Neotropical fishes: hotspots and the geography of biodiversity

Parasitology ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 134 (6) ◽  
pp. 865-878 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. L. LUQUE ◽  
R. POULIN
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Fish Species ◽  
Parasite Species ◽  
Freshwater Fishes ◽  
Parasite Diversity ◽  
Parasite Species Richness ◽  
Metazoan Parasite ◽  
Host Body ◽  
The Caribbean ◽  
Host Associations

SUMMARYAlthough research on parasite biodiversity has intensified recently, there are signs that parasites remain an underestimated component of total biodiversity in many regions of the planet. To identify geographical hotspots of parasite diversity, we performed qualitative and quantitative analyses of the parasite-host associations in fishes from Latin America and the Caribbean, a region that includes known hotspots of plant and animal biodiversity. The database included 10 904 metazoan parasite-host associations involving 1660 fish species. The number of host species with at least 1 parasite record was less than 10% of the total known fish species in the majority of countries. Associations involving adult endoparasites in actinopterygian fish hosts dominated the database. Across the whole region, no significant difference in parasite species richness was detected between marine and freshwater fishes. As a rule, host body size and study effort (number of studies per fish species) were good predictors of parasite species richness. Some interesting patterns emerged when we included only the regions with highest fish species biodiversity and study effort (Brasil, Mexico and the Caribbean Islands). Independently of differences in study effort or host body sizes, Mexico stands out as a hotspot of parasite diversity for freshwater fishes, as does Brasil for marine fishes. However, among 57 marine fish species common to all 3 regions, populations from the Caribbean consistently harboured more parasite species. These differences may reflect true biological patterns, or regional discrepancies in study effort and local priorities for fish parasitology research.

Estimation of the Endohelminth Parasite Species Richness in Freshwater Fishes From La Mintzita Reservoir, Michoacán, Mexico

2008 ◽  
Vol 94 (1) ◽  
pp. 288-292 ◽  
Author(s):  
María de la Luz Romero-Tejeda ◽  
Luis García-Prieto ◽  
Lorena Garrido-Olvera ◽  
Gerardo Pérez-Ponce de León
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Parasite Species ◽  
Freshwater Fishes ◽  
Parasite Species Richness

scholarly journals Parasite biodiversity and its determinants in coastal marine teleost fishes of Brazil

Parasitology ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 128 (6) ◽  
pp. 671-682 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. L. LUQUE ◽  
D. MOUILLOT ◽  
R. POULIN
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Body Size ◽  
Parasite Species ◽  
Feeding Habits ◽  
Taxonomic Distinctness ◽  
Depth Range ◽  
Metazoan Parasites ◽  
Parasite Species Richness ◽  
Parasite Biodiversity ◽  
Parasite Assemblages

Recent studies of the forces behind the diversification of parasite assemblages have shed light on many aspects of parasite biodiversity. By using only parasite species richness as their measure of diversity, however, previous investigations have ignored the relatedness among parasite species and the taxonomic structure of the assemblages, which contain much information about their evolutionary origins. Here, we performed a comparative analysis across 50 species of fish from the coast of Brazil; we evaluated the effects of several host traits (body size, social behaviour, feeding habits, preference for benthicvs. pelagic habitats, depth range, and ability to enter brackish waters) on the diversity of their assemblages of metazoan parasites. As measures of diversity, we used parasite species richness, as well as the average taxonomic distinctness of the assemblage and its variance; the latter measures are based on the average taxonomic distance between any two parasite species in an assemblage. Unlike parasite species richness, taxonomic distinctness was unaffected by the number of host individuals examined per species. Fish body length proved to be the main predictor of parasite species richness, even when controlling for the confounding influences of host phylogeny and sampling effort, although it did not correlate with measures of parasite taxonomic distinctness. Predatory fish also had higher parasite species richness than planktivores, but this trend could not be confirmed using phylogenetically independent contrasts between host taxa. The main host feature associated with the taxonomic diversity of parasites was schooling behaviour, with schooling fish having more taxonomically diverse parasite assemblages than those of their non-schooling relatives. When focusing on endoparasite species only, both predatory feeding habits and a broad depth range were associated with the taxonomic distinctness of parasites. Our results suggest that certain host traits (i.e. body size) determine how many parasite species a host can accumulate over evolutionary time, whereas different host features influence the processes causing the taxonomic diversification of parasite assemblages.

Helminth communities in the burrowing toad, Rhinella fernandezae, from Northeastern Argentina

Biologia ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 68 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Monika Hamann ◽  
Arturo Kehr ◽  
Cynthya González
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Body Size ◽  
Feeding Habits ◽  
Abiotic Factors ◽  
Helminth Species ◽  
Individual Species ◽  
Helminth Parasites ◽  
Importance Value ◽  
Host Body ◽  
Host Body Size

AbstractThe main goals of this study were to determine the richness and diversity of helminth parasites of Rhinella fernandezae at the component and infracommunity levels and determine the ecological implications of different biotic and abiotic factors. Specimens were collected near the city of Corrientes, Corrientes Province, Argentina. Prevalence of infection was 94% in the specimens examined (n = 65). The helminth component community in R. fernandezae in this area was comprised a total of 22 species. Of all helminth species, only three (Catadiscus inopinatus, Cosmocerca podicipinus and C. parva) were dominant (importance value: I > 1.0) in the community. The most abundant species were B. tetracotyloides (d = 0.43) among the larvae and C. podicipinus (d = 0.09) among adult worms. At the infracommunity level, the mean individual species richness (2.28 ± 1.48) (mean ± SD) was no more than 3 helminth species per infected host; the diversity and equitability of helminths were 0.23 ± 0.21 and 0.48 ± 0.38, respectively. The host body size was the main factor in determining the parasite abundance. Species richness was significantly and positively correlated with host body size. The parasite helminth species predominantly showed an overdispersed pattern of distribution. Helminth species showed two negative and significant pairs of covariation and one significant pair of association (P < 0.05). R. fernandezae has a wide variety of parasites relating to the host microhabitat, mobility and feeding habits.

Parasite species richness in carnivores: effects of host body mass, latitude, geographical range and population density

2007 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 496-509 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrik Lindenfors ◽  
Charles L. Nunn ◽  
Kate E. Jones ◽  
Andrew A. Cunningham ◽  
Wes Sechrest ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Population Density ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Parasite Species ◽  
Geographical Range ◽  
Parasite Species Richness ◽  
Host Body ◽  
Host Body Mass

Comparative Tests of Parasite Species Richness in Primates

2003 ◽  
Vol 162 (5) ◽  
pp. 597-614 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles L. Nunn ◽  
Sonia Altizer ◽  
Kate E. Jones ◽  
Wes Sechrest
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Parasite Species ◽  
Comparative Tests ◽  
Parasite Species Richness

Explaining variability in parasite aggregation levels among host samples

Parasitology ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 140 (4) ◽  
pp. 541-546 ◽  
Author(s):  
ROBERT POULIN
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Strong Relationship ◽  
Host Susceptibility ◽  
Helminth Parasites ◽  
Susceptibility To Infection ◽  
Host Body ◽  
Parasite Aggregation ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Host Body Size

SUMMARYAggregated distributions among individual hosts are a defining feature of metazoan parasite populations. Heterogeneity among host individuals in exposure to parasites or in susceptibility to infection is thought to be the main factor generating aggregation, with properties of parasites themselves explaining some of the variability in aggregation levels observed among species. Here, using data from 410 samples of helminth parasites on fish hosts, I tested the contribution of (i) within-sample variation in host body size, taken as a proxy for variability in host susceptibility, and (ii) parasite taxon and developmental stage, to the aggregated distribution of parasites. Log-transformed variance in numbers of parasites per host was regressed against log mean number across all samples; the strong relationship (r2 = 0·88) indicated that aggregation levels are tightly constrained by mean infection levels, and that only a small proportion of the observed variability in parasite aggregation levels remains to be accounted for by other factors. Using the residuals of this regression as measures of ‘unexplained’ aggregation, a mixed effects model revealed no significant effect of within-sample variation in host body size or of parasite taxon or stage (i.e. juvenile versus adult) on parasite aggregation level within a sample. However, much of the remaining variability in parasite aggregation levels among samples was accounted for by the number of individual hosts examined per sample, and species-specific and study-specific effects reflecting idiosyncrasies of particular systems. This suggests that with most differences in aggregation among samples already explained, there may be little point in seeking universal causes for the remaining variation.

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