Geographical variation of haemosporidian parasites in Turkish populations of Krüper’s Nuthatch Sitta krueperi

Abstract

The study of local variations in abundance and lineage distribution within the same host species is essential in order to understand the virulence and the differences in risk of exposure between individuals. Several studies have investigated factors shaping the abundance and geographical distribution of avian malaria in different continents. However, the vast territories of Asia have received little attention. Moreover, the distribution of haemosporidians remains unknown in many families of birds, for example the Sittidae. Here, we present the first molecular-based study that investigates the infection of haemosporidians in different populations of a bird from Western Asia in order to determine geographical differences in the prevalence and diversity of parasite lineages. We explore the occurrence of haemosporidians infecting Krupers’ Nuthatch Sitta krueperi in the Anatolian peninsula. Also, we analyse environmental factors predicting variation in parasite abundance. Our results revealed significant differences in abundance and parasite lineage distribution between northern and southern populations. Altitude of sampling sites was associated with the variability in the prevalence of haemosporidians. We also showed a higher diversity of Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon lineages in southern populations. The majority of parasite lineages found had not previously been described.