Nematode assemblages of some insular and continental lizard hosts of the genus Mabuya Fitzinger (Reptilia, Scincidae) along the eastern Brazilian coast

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Nematode assemblages associated to three species of lizards of the genus Mabuya Fitzinger, 1826 [M. agilis (Raddi, 1823), M. caissara Rebouças-Spieker, 1974 and M. macrorhyncha Hoge, 1946] from three mainland sites and three island sites along the eastern Brazilian coast were analyzed. A total of six nematode species were recorded, with total nematode richness varying from one to four and overall nematode prevalences varying from 6.7% to 90.5% among host populations. Number of nematode species per host individual (including all hosts, infected and uninfected) varied among host populations from 0.07 to 1.05, but most infected lizards in all six host populations harbored a single nematode species. Both insular and continental populations of Mabuya spp. exhibited generally poor nematode assemblages, and no clear tendency for insular host populations to have more depauperate nematode faunas and/or lower infection rates compared to mainland ones (or vice versa) was evident on the basis of the present data.

Observations on the natural history of the lizard Mabuya macrorhyncha Hoge (Scincidae) in Queimada Grande Island, São Paulo, Brazil

“…Nevertheless, more data on the diets of insular and continental M. macrorhyncha populations are needed to verify this. Only three species of helminths were found associated to M. macrorhyncha in the present study, indicating a poor helminth community for this insular population, compared to other conspecific populations from restinga habitats in the mainland (6-8 helminth species per host population; see table I of ROCHA et al 2003). This agrees with the idea that lizard populations from small islands tend to have more depauperate helminth communities than those from the mainland or large islands (DOBSON et al 1992, ROCA et al 1999.…”

“…Nevertheless, overall prevalence of infection was high in M. macrorhyncha from Queimada Grande. Lizard populations inhabiting islands often present higher helminth prevalences than conspecific or congeneric populations from the mainland, though this may not always occur (ROCA 1995, ROCHA & VRCIBRADIC 2003. The most prevalent helminth parasites of the studied population of M. macrorhyncha were immature forms (acuariid larvae and centrorhynchid cystacanths) which apparently use the lizards as paratenic or intermediate hosts.…”

“…ZANOTTI et al (1997) reported the parturition in February 1996 of a captive female originally collected at Queimada Grande island. Regarding this latter locality, there is also recently published information on infection patterns by ectoparasites (VRCIBRADIC et al 2000) and by nematodes (ROCHA & VRCIBRADIC 2003) associated to M. macrorhyncha.…”

“…Some ecological data from these same animals have already been published elsewhere (VRCIBRADIC et al 2000, ROCHA & VRCIBRADIC 2003 1998 (inverno). A maioria dos lagartos foi encontrada empoleirada acima do solo, principalmente sobre vegetação herbácea.…”

Body orientation for thermoregulation and daily activity cycle of Mabuya macrorhyncha (Squamata: Scincidae)

“…Studies on its biology have been conducted on populations in the states of Rio de Janeiro (e.g., Vrcibradic and Rocha 2002), Espírito Santo (e.g., Vrcibradic and Rocha 1995), São Paulo (Rocha and Vrcibradic 2003) and Bahia (e.g. Vrcibradic et al 2001).…”