Establishment of exotic parasites: the origins and characteristics of an avian malaria community in an isolated island avifauna

Abstract

Knowledge of the processes favouring the establishment of exotic parasites is poor. Herein, we test the characteristics of successful exotic parasites that have co-established in the remote island archipelago of New Zealand, due to the introduction of numerous avian host species. Our results show that avian malaria parasites (AM; parasites of the genus Plasmodium) that successfully invaded are more globally generalist (both geographically widespread and with a broad taxonomic range of hosts) than AM parasites not co-introduced to New Zealand. Furthermore, the successful AM parasites are presently more prevalent in their native range than AM parasites found in the same native range but not co-introduced to New Zealand. This has resulted in an increased number and greater taxonomic diversity of AM parasites now in New Zealand.

Mosquito Communities and Avian Malaria Prevalence in Silvereyes (Zosterops lateralis) Within Forest Edge and Interior Habitats in a New Zealand Regional Park

“…It was also interesting to note that the globally widespread P. elongatum was by far the most common malaria parasite encountered in silvereyes in this study (n = 20). This finding is in accordance with previous studies in New Zealand, which have demonstrated the presence of P. elongatum in a wide range of native species and its ubiquitous distribution throughout the country (Baillie and Brunton 2011;Castro et al 2011;Ewen et al 2012;Howe et al 2012).…”

“…However, over the last decade increased sampling effort and the application of molecular tools have improved our understanding of avian malaria in New Zealand, and a number of previously unknown Plasmodium and host species associations have been identified; to date 17 lineages of Plasmodium have been isolated from 35 bird species (Baillie and Brunton 2011;Schoener et al 2014). Additionally, Ewen et al (2012) found that the New Zealand Plasmodium fauna comprises introduced parasites as well as two presumed endemic species that predate human colonization and the introduction of exotic avian hosts.…”

Local parasite lineage sharing in temperate grassland birds provides clues about potential origins of Galapagos avian Plasmodium

“…Furthermore, all of the invading lineages were recorded infecting introduced birds in New Zealand (Ewen et al. 2012). In the case of Galapagos, three of the four lineages were detected in two or three highly localized samples at only one time point (Levin et al.…”

“…2011; Ewen et al. 2012). Haemosporidian parasites can be useful tools for understanding host ecology, including avian host migratory behavior (Dodge et al.…”

“…We also predicted greater host breadth for parasites detected in Galapagos, based on other research demonstrating that generalist parasites are more likely to establish in new biogeographic regions (Ewen et al. 2012). …”