Haemosporidians in Non-Passerine Birds of Colombia: An Overview of the Last 20 Years of Research

Abstract

The Neotropics are highly diverse in avian species. Neotropical countries contribute a large part of the estimated diversity of haemosporidian parasites reported for the planet’s tropical zones. However, sampling is limited and biased, illustrated by only 30% of the genetic records (barcodes) from non-passerines, most of them not linked to a nominal species. This paper aimed to perform the molecular and morphological characterization of the haemosporidians that infect non-passerine birds from Colombia deposited in the biological collection named “Grupo de Estudio Relación Parásito Hospedero (GERPH)”. We analyzed 1239 samples from twelve biomes and two animal care facilities. Phylogenetic relationships using barcodes and mitochondrial genomes were estimated. In addition, the reports of haemosporidian infections in non-passerine birds from the Neotropics recorded after 1978 were summarized. We reported the presence of thirteen morphological haemosporidian species, four potential new species deposited in GERPH, a host range expansion for two Plasmodium species, and a barcode sequence for Haemoproteus caprimulgi. We confirmed the species associated with 56 molecular lineages reported in other neotropical countries at the genus level. Thus, biological collections and curated databases such as MalAvi are essential to support integrative approaches demanded in modern taxonomy.

Avian haemosporidians of the genera Plasmodium and Haemoproteus from resident and Neotropical migrant birds in Colombia

“…4 ). These lineages are closely associated with birds from the Columbidae family, with species distributed in Mexico, Ecuador, Brazil, Venezuela, and recently reported in Colombia (Valkiūnas et al 2010 ; Lotta-Arévalo et al 2023 ). Another new lineage, TYRMEL03 of H .…”

“…Over the past few decades, the implementation of morphological and molecular analyses has allowed the identification of a wide diversity of avian haemosporidian morphospecies and lineages in the Neotropical region (Bensch et al 2009 ; González et al 2015 ; Fecchio et al 2018 ; 2019 ; Ellis et al 2020 ). In the neotropics, there have been reports of resident and migratory birds infected by the genera Plasmodium and Haemoproteus , which could play a significant role in the dispersal of haemosporidian throughout the Americas (Valkiūnas 2005 ; DeBrock et al 2021 ; Lotta-Arévalo et al 2023 ). In Colombia, 140 neotropical migratory bird species are recorded during the spring and fall migrations (Echeverry-Galvis et al 2022 ).…”

“…Infection by Plasmodium ( Haemamoeba ) cathemerium , Haemoproteus ( Parahaemoproteus ) vireonis , or Haemoproteus ( Parahaemoproteus ) coatneyi has been detected in birds of the Vireonidae, Turdidae, or Cardinalidae families (González et al 2015 ; Pulgarín-R et al 2019 ). In Colombia, there is a limited and fragmented knowledge about haemosporidians and their interaction with wild birds, with studies mainly conducted in localities of the Caribbean, Orinoco, and High Andean regions (González et al 2015 ; Alvarez-Londoño et al 2022 ; Lotta-Arévalo et al 2023 ). This lack of information hinders the understanding of birds’ role in the epidemiology of Plasmodium and Haemoproteus .…”

Differences in haemosporidian parasite prevalence and diversity in migratory and resident birds of prey species revealed by a non‐invasive sampling method

“…Research on the diversity and prevalence of parasites in wild populations of birds of prey (Accipitriformes) has received less attention. Investigating parasites across different taxonomic groups of birds is necessary to better understand the broader context of host–parasite interactions (Harl et al., 2022 ; Lotta‐Arévalo et al., 2023 ).…”