Helminth communities of two sympatric skinks (Mabuya agilis and Mabuya macrorhyncha ) from two ‘restinga’ habitats in southeastern Brazil

Abstract

The helminth fauna of two sympatric congeneric skinks (Mabuya agilis and M. macrorhyncha) from two distinct "restinga" habitats (Praia das Neves and Grussaí) in southeastern Brazil were studied, totalling four data sets (sample sizes ranging from 11 to 28). A total of ten helminth species were associated with the skinks: Raillietiella sp., Paradistomum parvissimum, Pulchrosomoides elegans, Oochoristica ameivae, Hexametra boddaertii, Parapharyngodon sceleratus, Physalopteroides venancioi, Physaloptera sp., an unidentified acuariid nematode and an unidentified centrorhynchid acanthocephalan. Except for Hexametra boddaertii (found only in Grussaí) and Pulchrosomoides elegans (found only in Praia das Neves), all helminth species were present at both localities. Half of the helminth species were present only as larvae and, in most cases, appear to represent paratenic parasitism. Overall prevalences of infection were high for both host species in both localities. Mabuya agilis tended to have richer and more diverse infracommunities than M. macrorhyncha. Some parameters of infection by individual helminth species seem to be related to the ecology of each Mabuya species. The parasite faunas were qualitatively very similar among species and/or localities, but quantitative similarities were more varied, due to differential representativeness of individual helminth species among host populations. The helminth communities of both skink species can be classified as non-interactive, being composed of site-specialists and immature stages of non-lizard parasites.

Pentastomids infecting an invader lizard, Hemidactylus mabouia (Gekkonidae) in northeastern Brazil

“…In Brazil, the studies have shown unequal prevalence in native lizards species Mabuya agilis (3.6-9.0%; Vrcibradic et al, 2002); Cnemidophorus abaetensis (6.0%; Dias et al, 2005), and C. ocellifer (2.5%; Dias et al, 2005); and Tropidurus hispidus (11.1%; Almeida et al, 2008).…”

“…In Brazil, few works concerning raillietiellids as lizard parasites have been reported: Raillietiella freitasi in the lungs of Thrachylepis atlanticus (formerly Mabuya punctata), from Fernando de Noronha Island (situated on the northeastern coast) (Motta, 1963;Motta and Gomes, 1968;Rego, 1983;1984); larvae of Raillietiella sp. in skink Mabuya agilis reported by Vrcibradic et al (2002); Dias et al (2005) …”

A new species of pentastomida infecting Tropidurus hispidus (Squamata: Tropiduridae) from Caatinga in Northeastern Brazil

“…Rallietiellids infecting lizards in Brazilian continental ecosystems were firstly recorded by Vrcibradic et al (2002) and Dias et al (2005). Vrcibradic et al (2002) reported only larvae of Raillietiella sp.…”

“…About 40 species of raillietiellids have been described in the world, but the Neotropical diversity of pentastomids has not received much academic attention and remains poorly known (Almeida and Christoffersen, 1999;2002). An attempt to survey the genus Raillietiella in Brazil generated only three recorded species: R. freitasi (Motta and Gomes, 1968), R. furcocerca (Diesing, 1863) and R. gigliolii Hett, 1924.…”

“…Vrcibradic et al (2002) reported only larvae of Raillietiella sp. in the lungs of skink Mabuya agilis (Raddi, 1823) collected from the restinga ecosystems in the states of Rio de Janeiro and Espirito Santo.…”