Composition and structure of the helminth community of rodents in matrix habitat areas of the Atlantic forest of southeastern Brazil. (August 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lucio, Camila dos Santos; Gentile, Rosana; Cardoso, Thiago dos Santos; de Oliveira Santos, Fernando; Teixeira, Bernardo Rodrigues; Maldonado Júnior, Arnaldo; D'Andrea, Paulo Sergio
• Is Part Of: International journal for parasitology. Volume 15(2021)
• Page Start: 278
• Page End: 289
• Publication Date: 2021-08
• Subjects: Anthropogenic areas -- Ecology -- Nematoda -- Parasite -- Parasitism -- Small mammals; Parasites -- Periodicals; Parasitology -- Periodicals; Animals -- Periodicals; Wildlife diseases -- Periodicals; Parasites -- Periodicals; Animals, Wild -- Periodicals; Animals; Parasites; Parasitology; Wildlife diseases; Periodicals; 591.7857
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2021.07.001
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2213-2244

Abstract

Abstract: The predominant landscape of the Atlantic Forest of the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro is made up of forest fragments surrounded by a matrix of modified habitat, which may influence the occurrence and distribution of host species and their parasites in comparison with the original continuous forest. The present study describes the structure, composition, and diversity of the helminth community found in rodents in two areas of an open matrix of different status of conservation. The abundance, intensity, and prevalence were calculated for each helminth species in rodent species. The influence of biotic and abiotic factors on the abundance and prevalence of the helminth species was also investigated. Community structure was analyzed based on the beta diversity and a bipartite network. Nine helminth species were recovered from Akodon cursor, Necromys lasiurus and Mus musculus, with the greatest helminth species richness being recorded in A. cursor (S = 8), followed by N. lasiurus (S = 6), and M. musculus (S = 3). Only three of the helminths recorded in A. cursor had been recorded previously in this rodent in the Atlantic Forest, where 12 different helminths have been recorded, so that the other five are new occurrences for this rodent. All the helminth species of N. lasiurus had been reported previously in this rodent in the Cerrado and Caatinga regions. Mus musculus was infected with the same helminths as the local fauna. Host species and locality were the most important factors influencing helminth abundance and prevalence. Beta-diversity was high for infracommunities indicating more substitutions of helminth species than losses among individuals. Three helminths species were shared by the three host species. The reduced beta-diversity observed in the component communities was consistent with the overlap observed in the helminth fauna of the host species. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: The less disturbed area had higher helminth species richness. Most helminth species had higher abundance and prevalence in the most disturbed area and host species and locality explained helminth variations in abundance and prevalence. Turnover was the most important component in infracommunities beta-diversity. Akodon cursor is a new host for five nematodes and one acanthocephalan species.