Effects of latitude, host body size, and host trophic guild on patterns of diversity of helminths associated with humans, wild and domestic mammals of Mexico.

Abstract

Parasites are strictly associated with their hosts and present a great diversity of life histories, often resulting in different diversity patterns than those observed in free-living species. However, ecological approaches have detected that, in some cases, mammal-associated helminths respond similarly to non-parasitic species in terms of diversity patterns. Using 2200 recorded interactions, we analysed the diversity patterns of helminths (Acanthocephala, Nematoda and Platyhelminthes) harbored by humans, wild and domestic mammals of Mexico, depending on latitude, host body mass and trophic guild (carnivore, herbivore, insectivore, omnivore), considering helminth richness and average taxonomic distinctness, and host phylogenetic diversity and phylogenetic clustering. Latitude was positively correlated with the average taxonomic distinctness encompassing the three parasite phyla and nematodes. Northern latitudes had less taxonomically related parasite assemblages. Host body mass had a significant negative relationship with the average taxonomic distinctness of acanthocephalans and the richness of helminths associated to wild hosts. The omnivore hosts had greater parasite richness, while insectivores had a less taxonomically related parasite assemblage and herbivores had a more heterogeneous parasite assemblage. Our results highlight the importance of incorporating different dimensions of diversity, such as average taxonomic distinctness and to consider the composition of parasite assemblages to better understand their diversity patterns.