首页 | 本学科首页   官方微博 | 高级检索  
   检索      


Infection with Haemoproteus iwa affects vector movement in a hippoboscid fly—frigatebird system
Authors:Iris I Levin  Patricia G Parker
Institution:1. Department of Biology, University of Missouri – St. Louis, , St. Louis, MO 63121, USA;2. Whitney R. Harris World Ecology Center, University of Missouri – St. Louis, , St. Louis, MO 63121, USA;3. WildCare Institute, Saint Louis Zoo, , St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
Abstract:Haemosporidian parasites, which require both a vertebrate and invertebrate host, are most commonly studied in the life stages occurring in the vertebrate. However, aspects of the vector's behaviour and biology can have profound effects on parasite dynamics. We explored the effects of a haemosporidian parasite, Haemoproteus iwa, on a hippoboscid fly vector, Olfersia spinifera. Olfersia spinifera is an obligate ectoparasite of the great frigatebird, Fregata minor, living among bird feathers for all of its adult life. This study examined the movements of O. spinifera between great frigatebird hosts. Movement, or host switching, was inferred by identifying host (frigatebird) microsatellite genotypes from fly bloodmeals that did not match the host from which the fly was collected. Such host switches were analysed using a logistic regression model, and the best‐fit model included the H. iwa infection status of the fly and the bird host sex. Uninfected flies were more likely to have a bird genotype in their bloodmeal that was different from their current host's genotype (i.e. to have switched hosts) than infected flies. Flies collected from female birds were more likely to have switched hosts than those collected on males. Reduced movement of infected flies suggests that there may be a cost of parasitism for the fly. The effect of host sex is probably driven by differences in the sex ratio of bird hosts available to moving flies.
Keywords:frigatebird     Haemoproteus     Hippoboscidae  host switch
设为首页 | 免责声明 | 关于勤云 | 加入收藏

Copyright©北京勤云科技发展有限公司  京ICP备09084417号