Effect of host age, sex and life stage on the prevalence and abundance of sucking lice on Weddell seal in the Antarctic Peninsula
Abstract Through evolutionary time, seal lice have developed morphological, behavioral, and ecological adaptations to cope with the amphibious lifestyle of their hosts in a co-evolutionary process. Consequently, the dynamics of lice populations are determined by seals behavior. We aim to study the e...
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Academia Brasileira de Ciências
2021-03-01
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| Series: | Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências |
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| Online Access: | http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0001-37652022000201301&lng=en&tlng=en |
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| author | FLORENCIA A. SOTO JAVIER NEGRETE MATIAS J. KLAICH MARÍA SOLEDAD LEONARDI |
| author_facet | FLORENCIA A. SOTO JAVIER NEGRETE MATIAS J. KLAICH MARÍA SOLEDAD LEONARDI |
| author_sort | FLORENCIA A. SOTO |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Through evolutionary time, seal lice have developed morphological, behavioral, and ecological adaptations to cope with the amphibious lifestyle of their hosts in a co-evolutionary process. Consequently, the dynamics of lice populations are determined by seals behavior. We aim to study the effects of host sex, age class, year, and sampling location, on the prevalence and mean abundance of Antarctophthirus carlinii, on Weddell seals (WS) Leptonychotes wedelli. The study was conducted at two sites in the Antarctic Peninsula, namely, Marambio/Seymour Island (MI) and the Danco Coast (DC). We collected lice from 71 WS: 33 from MI, during the reproductive season, and 38 from DC, during the molting season, between 2014 and 2017. According to our analyses, host age class and sex were the variables that affected prevalence levels of lice on WS. Whereas, age class, year, site, and sex affected lice mean abundance. Juveniles presented higher prevalence and mean abundance than adults, possibly acting as reservoirs for lice as they move through different colonies until they reach reproductive age. Concurrently, seals during molting season were more infested. Unlike nursing, during the molting season seals spend much time ashore forming mixed groups that favor both egg development and lice transmission. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T07:05:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-203459df7849485380e4bc1699ed41aa |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1678-2690 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T07:05:19Z |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | Academia Brasileira de Ciências |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências |
| spelling | doaj.art-203459df7849485380e4bc1699ed41aa2022-12-21T23:55:50ZengAcademia Brasileira de CiênciasAnais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências1678-26902021-03-0194suppl 110.1590/0001-3765202220210566Effect of host age, sex and life stage on the prevalence and abundance of sucking lice on Weddell seal in the Antarctic PeninsulaFLORENCIA A. SOTOhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-0139-9327JAVIER NEGRETEhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-6853-8307MATIAS J. KLAICHhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-7702-8560MARÍA SOLEDAD LEONARDIhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-1736-7031Abstract Through evolutionary time, seal lice have developed morphological, behavioral, and ecological adaptations to cope with the amphibious lifestyle of their hosts in a co-evolutionary process. Consequently, the dynamics of lice populations are determined by seals behavior. We aim to study the effects of host sex, age class, year, and sampling location, on the prevalence and mean abundance of Antarctophthirus carlinii, on Weddell seals (WS) Leptonychotes wedelli. The study was conducted at two sites in the Antarctic Peninsula, namely, Marambio/Seymour Island (MI) and the Danco Coast (DC). We collected lice from 71 WS: 33 from MI, during the reproductive season, and 38 from DC, during the molting season, between 2014 and 2017. According to our analyses, host age class and sex were the variables that affected prevalence levels of lice on WS. Whereas, age class, year, site, and sex affected lice mean abundance. Juveniles presented higher prevalence and mean abundance than adults, possibly acting as reservoirs for lice as they move through different colonies until they reach reproductive age. Concurrently, seals during molting season were more infested. Unlike nursing, during the molting season seals spend much time ashore forming mixed groups that favor both egg development and lice transmission.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0001-37652022000201301&lng=en&tlng=enAntarctophthirus carliniiinfestation parametersGLMLeptonychotes weddellii |
| spellingShingle | FLORENCIA A. SOTO JAVIER NEGRETE MATIAS J. KLAICH MARÍA SOLEDAD LEONARDI Effect of host age, sex and life stage on the prevalence and abundance of sucking lice on Weddell seal in the Antarctic Peninsula Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências Antarctophthirus carlinii infestation parameters GLM Leptonychotes weddellii |
| title | Effect of host age, sex and life stage on the prevalence and abundance of sucking lice on Weddell seal in the Antarctic Peninsula |
| title_full | Effect of host age, sex and life stage on the prevalence and abundance of sucking lice on Weddell seal in the Antarctic Peninsula |
| title_fullStr | Effect of host age, sex and life stage on the prevalence and abundance of sucking lice on Weddell seal in the Antarctic Peninsula |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effect of host age, sex and life stage on the prevalence and abundance of sucking lice on Weddell seal in the Antarctic Peninsula |
| title_short | Effect of host age, sex and life stage on the prevalence and abundance of sucking lice on Weddell seal in the Antarctic Peninsula |
| title_sort | effect of host age sex and life stage on the prevalence and abundance of sucking lice on weddell seal in the antarctic peninsula |
| topic | Antarctophthirus carlinii infestation parameters GLM Leptonychotes weddellii |
| url | http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0001-37652022000201301&lng=en&tlng=en |
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