Efectos y consecuencias de las interacciones hemoparásito-hospedador en anfibios y reptiles

Abstract

Parasitism is a biotic agent of selection which has direct consequences on the host's reproduction and survival. Nevertheless, there is a huge general lack of knowledge over its negative effects on amphibians and reptiles. In the case of amphibians, the world's most threatened group of vertebrates (70% of species in decline), these emerging infectious diseases are one of the main causes of extinction. An updated revision of ecology and parasites´ diversity, as well as the role they play on the aforementioned decline in a scenario of global change, seems crucial. Moreover, in the case of reptiles, where most of these researches are focused on molecular characterization and morphological description, being just a few the ones who look into their pathology and its consequences ecologically speaking, we have analyzed diverses effects of the Hepatozoon genus in different species of reptiles, with the aim of improving the knowledge about the ecology of the relationship host-hemoparasite, as well as, ultimately, the alteration of its population structures. We have examined the association between mixed Hepatozoon spp. infection, and several health indicators (corporal condition, values of haematocrit, immune response) of Mauremys leprosa, as well as effects of the same genus of hemoparasites on the colouring and corporal condition of three species of tropical tortoises from the Peruvian Amazon (Chelonoidis carbonaria, Chelonoidis denticulata y Podocnemis unifilis). Lastly, we have analyzed the prevalence and effects on the corporal condition of Hepatozoon on two species of Amazonian crocodiles (Caiman crocodilus y Crocodilus acutus).