Avian malaria, haematocrit, and body condition in invasive wetland passerines settled in southwestern Spain
Avian malaria and related haemosporidian parasites can negatively impact fitness in many songbirds. Research on the malaria infection and its physiological costs on their avian hosts is heavily skewed toward native passerines, with exotic species underrepresented. However, introduced species may car...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Avian Research |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2053716623000075 |
| _version_ | 1811164932974051328 |
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| author | Jaime Muriel Luz Garcia-Longoria Sergio Magallanes Juan Antonio Ortiz Alfonso Marzal |
| author_facet | Jaime Muriel Luz Garcia-Longoria Sergio Magallanes Juan Antonio Ortiz Alfonso Marzal |
| author_sort | Jaime Muriel |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Avian malaria and related haemosporidian parasites can negatively impact fitness in many songbirds. Research on the malaria infection and its physiological costs on their avian hosts is heavily skewed toward native passerines, with exotic species underrepresented. However, introduced species may carry on and spread new pathogens to native species, and play a role on parasite transmission cycle in invaded bird communities as pathogen reservoir. Here, we molecularly assess the prevalence and diversity of haemosporidian parasites in three introduced wetland passerines (the Red Avadavat Amandava amandava, the Yellow-crowned Bishop Euplectes afer, and the Common Waxbill Estrilda astrild) captured during the same season in southwestern Spain. We also explored the relation between parasite infection, body condition, haematocrit, and uropygial gland volume. We detected an overall parasite prevalence of 3.55%, where Common Waxbills showed higher prevalence (6.94%) than Red Avadavats (1.51%). None Yellow-crowned Bishops were infected with haemosporidians. Almost 60% of infections were caused by Leucocytozoon, and about 40% by Plasmodium. We identified four unique lineages of Plasmodium and three of Leucocytozoon. Moreover, 91% of the identified host–parasite interactions represented new host records for these haemosporidian parasites. Parasite infection was not related to body condition, haematocrit, and uropygial gland volume of the wetland passerines. Haematocrit values varied seasonally among bird species. Additionally, haematocrit was positively related to body condition in the Yellow-crowned Bishops, but not in the other species. Red Avadavats had higher haematocrit levels than Yellow-crowned Bishops, whereas Common Waxbills showed the lower haematocrit values. The uropygial gland volume was positively correlated with body condition in all bird species. Common Waxbills showed higher uropygial gland volumes related to their body size than birds from other two species. These outcomes highlight the importance of exotic invasive species in the transmission dynamics of haemosporidian parasites. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T15:30:23Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9586c29d576d461897746d967915fc4e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2053-7166 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T15:30:23Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Avian Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-9586c29d576d461897746d967915fc4e2023-02-14T04:06:46ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.Avian Research2053-71662023-01-0114100081Avian malaria, haematocrit, and body condition in invasive wetland passerines settled in southwestern SpainJaime Muriel0Luz Garcia-Longoria1Sergio Magallanes2Juan Antonio Ortiz3Alfonso Marzal4Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC), CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo 12, 13005, Ciudad Real, Spain; Universidad de Extremadura, Facultad de Biología, Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología, Avenida de Elvas s/n, 06006, Badajoz, SpainUniversidad de Extremadura, Facultad de Biología, Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología, Avenida de Elvas s/n, 06006, Badajoz, SpainUniversidad de Extremadura, Facultad de Biología, Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología, Avenida de Elvas s/n, 06006, Badajoz, Spain; Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Departamento de Ecología de los Humedales, Avda. Américo Vespucio 26, 41092, Sevilla, SpainHirundo Bird Ringing Group, Badajoz, SpainUniversidad de Extremadura, Facultad de Biología, Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología, Avenida de Elvas s/n, 06006, Badajoz, Spain; Grupo de Investigaciones en Fauna Silvestre. Universidad Nacional de San Martín, Jr. Maynas 1777, 22021, Tarapoto, Peru; Corresponding author. Universidad de Extremadura, Facultad de Biología, Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología, Avenida de Elvas s/n, 06006, Badajoz, Spain.Avian malaria and related haemosporidian parasites can negatively impact fitness in many songbirds. Research on the malaria infection and its physiological costs on their avian hosts is heavily skewed toward native passerines, with exotic species underrepresented. However, introduced species may carry on and spread new pathogens to native species, and play a role on parasite transmission cycle in invaded bird communities as pathogen reservoir. Here, we molecularly assess the prevalence and diversity of haemosporidian parasites in three introduced wetland passerines (the Red Avadavat Amandava amandava, the Yellow-crowned Bishop Euplectes afer, and the Common Waxbill Estrilda astrild) captured during the same season in southwestern Spain. We also explored the relation between parasite infection, body condition, haematocrit, and uropygial gland volume. We detected an overall parasite prevalence of 3.55%, where Common Waxbills showed higher prevalence (6.94%) than Red Avadavats (1.51%). None Yellow-crowned Bishops were infected with haemosporidians. Almost 60% of infections were caused by Leucocytozoon, and about 40% by Plasmodium. We identified four unique lineages of Plasmodium and three of Leucocytozoon. Moreover, 91% of the identified host–parasite interactions represented new host records for these haemosporidian parasites. Parasite infection was not related to body condition, haematocrit, and uropygial gland volume of the wetland passerines. Haematocrit values varied seasonally among bird species. Additionally, haematocrit was positively related to body condition in the Yellow-crowned Bishops, but not in the other species. Red Avadavats had higher haematocrit levels than Yellow-crowned Bishops, whereas Common Waxbills showed the lower haematocrit values. The uropygial gland volume was positively correlated with body condition in all bird species. Common Waxbills showed higher uropygial gland volumes related to their body size than birds from other two species. These outcomes highlight the importance of exotic invasive species in the transmission dynamics of haemosporidian parasites.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2053716623000075Avian malariaExotic speciesIntroduced birdsLeucocytozoonPlasmodiumUropygial gland |
| spellingShingle | Jaime Muriel Luz Garcia-Longoria Sergio Magallanes Juan Antonio Ortiz Alfonso Marzal Avian malaria, haematocrit, and body condition in invasive wetland passerines settled in southwestern Spain Avian Research Avian malaria Exotic species Introduced birds Leucocytozoon Plasmodium Uropygial gland |
| title | Avian malaria, haematocrit, and body condition in invasive wetland passerines settled in southwestern Spain |
| title_full | Avian malaria, haematocrit, and body condition in invasive wetland passerines settled in southwestern Spain |
| title_fullStr | Avian malaria, haematocrit, and body condition in invasive wetland passerines settled in southwestern Spain |
| title_full_unstemmed | Avian malaria, haematocrit, and body condition in invasive wetland passerines settled in southwestern Spain |
| title_short | Avian malaria, haematocrit, and body condition in invasive wetland passerines settled in southwestern Spain |
| title_sort | avian malaria haematocrit and body condition in invasive wetland passerines settled in southwestern spain |
| topic | Avian malaria Exotic species Introduced birds Leucocytozoon Plasmodium Uropygial gland |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2053716623000075 |
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