Ectoparasite performance when feeding on reproducing mammalian females: an unexpected decrease when on pregnant hosts

Ectoparasites of the critically endangered insular cavy, Cavia intermedia (Rodentia: Caviidae), southern Brazil

Cavia intermedia is a rodent species critically endangered and is found only on a 10 hectare island off the southern Brazilian coast. To identify the ectoparasites of C. intermedia, 27 specimens (14 males and 13 females), representing approximately 65% of the estimated total population, were captured and examined. A total of 1336 chewing lice of two species were collected: Gliricola lindolphoi (Amblycera: Gyropidae) and Trimenopon hispidum (Amblycera: Trimenoponidae). In addition, chiggers Arisocerus hertigi (Acari: Trombiculidae) and Eutrombicula sp. (Acari: Trombiculidae) were collected from the ears of all captured animals. This low species richness compared to those for other Cavia species is expected for island mammals. Although the results presented here are not conclusive about the relationship between C. intermedia and ectoparasites, this low species richness found might be reflected in a low level of investment by the hosts in the basal immune defense, since investments in white blood cell production by mammals are influenced by the diversity of parasites in the environment. Additionally, considering that it might result in host vulnerability to other parasites that might be introduced through exotic or migratory host species, the monitoring of C. intermedia, including parasitological and immunological assessments, is recommended as a key component of conservation efforts.

Seasonal variation in infestations by ixodids on Siberian chipmunks: effects of host age, sex, and birth season

In mammalian hosts, macroparasite aggregation is highly heterogeneous over space and time and among individuals. While the exact causes of this heterogeneity remain unclear, it has mainly been attributed to individual differences in exposure and susceptibility. Although some extrinsic (e.g., parasite availability) and intrinsic (e.g., sex or age) factors are well known to affect infestation patterns, the joint and possibly interacting effects of these factors are poorly understood. Here, we study the infestation of hard ticks (mainly Ixodes ricinus) in a small rodent, the Siberian chipmunk (Tamias sibiricus), introduced to an oak-hornbeam forest in France. We investigate the seasonal variation in infestation according to the sex, age, birth season (spring-born or summer-born), and body weight of individual hosts while controlling for interannual variability. During the 10-year study period, 3421 tick count events were recorded involving 1017 chipmunks monitored by the capture-mark-recapture procedure. Our results reveal a male-biased parasitism in the Siberian chipmunk, which is not consistent among individuals born in different seasons. This sex bias is observed among spring-born juveniles from July to the beginning of hibernation. For adults, this difference becomes apparent along the reproduction period (May-September) for summer-born adults only. These complex interactions between sex, age, and birth season suggest overall that the seasonal variation of tick load is critically linked to the reproductive behavior of this small ground sciurid.

Host reproductive status and reproductive performance of a parasite: offspring quality and trade-offs in a flea parasitic on a rodent

We investigated offspring quality in fleas (Xenopsylla ramesis) feeding on non-reproducing, pregnant or lactating rodents (Meriones crassus) and asked whether (a) quality of flea offspring differs dependent on host reproductive status; (b) fleas trade off offspring quantity for quality; and (c) quality variables are inter-correlated. Emergence success was highest when parents exploited pregnant hosts, while development time was longest when parents exploited lactating hosts. Male offspring from fleas fed on non-reproductive and pregnant hosts were larger than those from lactating hosts whereas female offspring from fleas fed on pregnant hosts were larger than those from both lactating and non-reproductive hosts. Male offspring survived under starvation the longest when their parents exploited lactating hosts and the shortest when their parents exploited pregnant hosts. Female offspring of parents that exploited lactating hosts survived under starvation longer than those that exploited non-reproductive and pregnant hosts. Emergence success and development time decreased as mean number of eggs laid by mothers increased. Fleas that were larger and took longer to develop lived significantly longer under starvation. These results indicate the presence of a trade-off between offspring quantity and quality in fleas exploiting female Sundevall's jird in varying reproductive condition but this trade-off depended on the quality trait considered.