Helminth parasitic ecology in Gymnodactylus geckoides Spix, 1825 (Squamata: Phyllodactylidae) from Caatinga domain, north-eastern Brazil

Abstract

ABSTRACT Gymnodactylus geckoides is an endemic lizard from the Caatinga domain. However, the relationship of G. geckoides with its parasites remains largely unknown. Therefore, the present study aimed to identify the helminth fauna of G. geckoides in a Caatinga fragment and determine the influence of factors such as host morphology, sex, diet and seasonality on parasite load. The study was conducted at the Conservation Unit (CU) of the Catimbau National Park located in Catimbau, Pernambuco, north-eastern Brazil. In total, 83 individuals were captured, among which 43 (51.8%) were infected by the following helminths: Acanthocephala cystacanths (prevalence, 47%; mean intensity, 2 ± 3.99; mean abundance, 1.61 ± 3.25) and the nematodes Parapharyngodon alvarengai (prevalence, 15.7%; mean intensity, 1 ± 0.74; mean abundance, 0.25 ± 0.66), Physaloptera lutzi (prevalence, 2.4%; mean intensity, 4 ± 1.00; mean abundance, 0.10 ± 0.64) Physaloptera sp. (prevalence, 4.8%; mean intensity, 1 ± 0.00; mean abundance, 0.05 ± 0.24), and Spauligodon oxkutzcabiensis (prevalence, 3.6%; mean intensity, 1 ± 0.94; mean abundance, 0.06 ± 0.36). A significantly positive relationship was found between the intensity of infection by the most prevalent helminth (which belonged to Acanthocephala) and host morphology (snoutvent length) (β ± SE = 6.421 ± 1.555, z = 4.128, p < .001), as well as prey type (β ± SE = 0.256 ± 0.078, z = 3.251, p < .001). Acanthocephala infection had a higher intensity during the rainy season (Analysis of Variance1,81: p < .01) in both female and male hosts (ANOVA1,73: p = 0.21). The present study is the first to identify the ecological patterns of the host–parasite relationships of G. geckoides. The results of this study contribute to the knowledge of the parasitic fauna of lizards in the Neotropical region. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:0C037904-257A-40E1-9460-487B9FAFE786