Endoparasites of Adelophryne maranguapensis Hoogmoed, Borges & Cascon, 1994 (Anura, Eleutherodactylidae), an endemic and threatened species from an altitude swamp in northeastern Brazil.

Abstract

Adelophryne maranguapensis is an endangered anuran species endemic to the Maranguape residual mountain, Ceará State, northeaster Brazil, which is under strong anthropogenic pressure. There are still few studies on the natural history of this species that allow a better understanding of its biology and can provide the basis for conservation actions. Studies on endoparasitism are an important source for the comprehension of ecological relationships, as well as for providing information on host biology and its relevance to ecosystems. Thus, we present information about the endoparasites helminths, the relationship of parasite abundance with the size of individuals and the parasite difference between the sexes in A. maranguapensis, to elucidate some characteristics in the host-parasite relationship and the use of the area of this anuran. We analysed 107 specimens deposited in the Herpetological Collection of the Federal University of Ceará, sampled from 2010 to 2012. Total prevalence of 24.30% was recorded, and four parasitic taxa were identified, Aplectana sp., Physaloptera sp., Parapharyngodon sp. and an unidentified Ascarid. No relationship between the abundance of parasites and snout-vent length was found and the parasite difference between the sexes. Even though identification of the parasites at species level was not possible, A. maranguapensis follows a common pattern in parasitism of Neotropical species.