scholarly journals Resource‐use, body condition and parasite load metrics indicate contrasting health of stocked and native game fishes in Canadian prairie lakes

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-27
Author(s):  
Lushani Nanayakkara ◽  
Elizabeth R. Starks ◽  
Ryan N. Cooper ◽  
Sydney Chow ◽  
Peter R. Leavitt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
Resource Use ◽  
Parasite Load ◽  
Canadian Prairie ◽  
Prairie Lakes

Negative covariance between parasite load and body condition in a population of feral horses

Parasitology ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 143 (8) ◽  
pp. 983-997 ◽  
Author(s):  
LUCIE DEBEFFE ◽  
PHILIP D. MCLOUGHLIN ◽  
SARAH A. MEDILL ◽  
KATHRINE STEWART ◽  
DANIEL ANDRES ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
Local Density ◽  
Parasite Load ◽  
Gastrointestinal Parasites ◽  
Reproductive Status ◽  
Feral Horses ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Fecal Egg Count ◽  
Lactating Females ◽  
Field Season

SUMMARYIn wild and domestic animals, gastrointestinal parasites can have significant impacts on host development, condition, health, reproduction and longevity. Improving our understanding of the causes and consequences of individual-level variation in parasite load is therefore of prime interest. Here we investigated the relationship between strongyle fecal egg count (FEC) and body condition in a unique, naturalized population of horses that has never been exposed to anthelmintic drugs (Sable Island, Nova Scotia, Canada). We first quantified variation in FEC and condition for 447 individuals according to intrinsic (sex, age, reproductive status, social status) and extrinsic (group size, location, local density) variables. We then quantified the repeatability of measurements obtained over a field season and tested for covariance between FEC and condition. FECs were high relative to other horse populations (mean eggs per gram ± SD = 1543·28 ± 209·94). FECs generally decreased with age, were higher in lactatingvsnon-lactating females, and unexpectedly lower in males in some part of the island. FECs and condition were both spatially structured, with patterns depending on age, sex and reproductive status. FECs and condition were both repeatable. Most notably, FECs and condition were negatively correlated, especially in adult females.

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.

scholarly journals Body Condition and Parasite Load Predict Territory Ownership in the GaláPagos Hawk

The Condor ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 106 (4) ◽  
pp. 915-921 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noah Kerness Whiteman ◽  
Patricia G. Parker
Keyword(s):  
Population Size ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Parasite Load ◽  
Louse Species

Abstract We tested for associations between body condition, territory ownership, and permanent parasite load of Galápagos Hawks (Buteo galapagoensis) on Isla Marchena, Galápagos. Two louse species were collected from most of the 26 hawks sampled: the amblyceran Colpocephalum turbinatum and the ischnoceran Degeeriella regalis. Nonterritorial hawks were in significantly poorer body condition than territorial hawks. Body condition was negatively correlated with the abundance of C. turbinatum. Nonterritorial hawks had significantly higher mean abundances, mean intensities, and median intensities of both louse species than territorial hawks. The amblyceran's mean abundance and intensity were significantly higher than the ischnoceran's. Abundances of the two lice were positively related when the population size of C. turbinatum was <100 individuals, and negatively related when >100 individuals. Parasite load and body condition both predicted territory ownership well. La Condición Corporal y la Carga Parasitaria Predicen la Posesión de Territorios en Buteo galapagoensis Resumen. Probamos la relación entre la condición corporal, la posesión de territorios y la carga parasitaria permanente en el Gavilán de Galápagos (Buteo galapagoensis) en la Isla Marchena, Galápagos. En la mayoría de los 26 gavilanes muestreados se colectaron dos especies de piojo: el ambliceránido Colpocephalum turbinatum y el ischnoceránido Degeeriella regalis. Los gavilanes no territoriales se encontraron en condiciones corporales significativamente peores que los gavilanes territoriales. Encontramos una correlación negativa significativa entre la condición corporal y la abundancia de C. turbinatum. Los gavilanes no territoriales tuvieron significativamente mayor abundancia, intensidad media e intensidad mediana de las dos especies de piojo que los gavilanes territoriales. La abundancia promedio y la intensidad de los ambliceránidos fueron significativamente mayores que las de los ischnoceránidos. Las abundancias de las dos especies de piojo estuvieron positivamente correlacionadas cuando el tamaño poblacional de C. turbinatum fue <100 individuos y negativamente correlacionadas cuándo fue >100 individuos. Tanto la carga parasitaria como la condición corporal predijeron bien la posesión de territorios.

Spleen mass, body condition, and parasite load in male American mink (Neovison vison)

2011 ◽  
Vol 92 (1) ◽  
pp. 221-226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Albrecht I. Schulte-Hostedde ◽  
Sarah C. Elsasser
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
American Mink ◽  
Parasite Load ◽  
Neovison Vison ◽  
Spleen Mass

Variation in growth and reproduction of walleye (Stizostedion vitreum) in three Manitoba lakes

1995 ◽  
Vol 73 (2) ◽  
pp. 367-372 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. F. Craig ◽  
J. A. Babaluk ◽  
S. G. Stevenson ◽  
P. C. Williams
Keyword(s):  
Egg Production ◽  
Stizostedion Vitreum ◽  
Canadian Prairie ◽  
Asymptotic Size ◽  
Reproductive Life ◽  
Reproductive Life Span ◽  
History Of ◽  
Prairie Lakes ◽  
Different Populations ◽  
Two Populations

Growth, lifetime egg production and biomass, and lipid accumulation in three female populations of walleye (Stizostedion vitreum) were studied. Two populations inhabit large, heavily exploited Canadian prairie lakes and the third inhabits a smaller, cooler, unexploited boreal lake in the Canadian Shield. Fish in the unexploited population grew more slowly and to a smaller asymptotic size than those in the other two populations. Although annual reproductive output per individual was less for this population, the reproductive life-span was greater. Lifetime egg production and ovary lipid biomass per recruit appeared to be similar (within 13%) for female walleye in the three different populations. The significance of energy allocation in the life history of these populations is discussed.

scholarly journals Relating resource use to body condition and survival of Ozark hellbenders Cryptobranchus alleganiensis bishopi

2013 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 205-213 ◽  
Author(s):  
CR Ayers ◽  
JL Belant ◽  
CM Bodinof ◽  
JT Briggler ◽  
JJ Millspaugh
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
Resource Use ◽  
Cryptobranchus Alleganiensis

scholarly journals Seasonal variation in prevalence, parasite load and mean intensity of ectoparasites in Pipistrellus kuhlii (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) from Iran

2019 ◽  
Vol 62 (2) ◽  
pp. 190-194
Author(s):  
Mozafar Sharifi ◽  
Somaye Vaissi ◽  
Hossein Javanbakht
Keyword(s):  
Seasonal Variation ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Parasite Load ◽  
Reproductive Condition ◽  
Mean Intensity ◽  
Pregnant Females ◽  
Free Ranging ◽  
Mist Net ◽  
Ectoparasite Load

We studied quantitatively the seasonal variation in prevalence, parasite load, and mean intensity of two species of ectoparasites in free ranging populations of Kuhl's bat, Pipistrellus kuhlii in western Iran. In total, 348 live bats (230 males and 118 females) were collected using mist net during May to November 2013. All bats identified as to sex and the number of ectoparasite species in each bat was counted. On 348 P. kuhlii captured, 5355 ectoparasites were observed. Two species of ectoparasites belonging to Argas vespertilionis (Argasidae) and Steatonyssus sp. (Macronyssidae) were identified. In late May and at the beginning of June, the peaks of ectoparasite load in bats were recorded and then dropped during June to November. The number of ectoparasites in pregnant female bats in May-June during pregnancy was significantly higher than non-pregnant females (p ≤ 0.05). A significant correlation was found between ectoparasite load and the ratio of body mass to the length of forearm (W/FA), as an index of body condition, indicating that parasite load has apparent impact on bat’s health. Our findings indicated that parasite loads correlate with season, sex and reproductive condition of the host.

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