Parasite Diversity Research Articles

Potential Spatial Diversity of Pathogenic Intestinal Parasites in Dog’s Faecal Matter in Port Harcourt, Niger Delta: A Huge Source of Environmental Contamination Risk Outcome

Dogs have become a huge part of some homes where they serve as pets or for security. Humans who have them as pets are drawn to them and when these dogs die, their owners are emotionally down. However, in some cases, little or no attention is paid to the health of these dogs as when infected, thus, they could serve as potent reservoirs and vectors of human parasites as they continue to litter their faeces on our environment unabated. This study investigated the presence of intestinal parasites in the faecal matter of domestic dogs and will also highlight the public health implications of poor faecal matter waste handling in our environment. A total of 80 pet dogs that had their owners' consent were randomly recruited, through a cross-sectional research design. Their stool samples were collected aseptically and assayed for gastrointestinal parasites using standard parasitological techniques. The result revealed that the prevalence of parasites using the diethyl ether sedimentation method was 25.1% and the presence of Ancylostoma caninium (21.3%) and Toxocara canis (3.75%) was recorded after microscopy. Female dogs were most infected making up 15% of the total prevalence while male dogs made up 10%. Dogs aged 2-4 years recorded the highest prevalence with 37.5% while 13.8% of those greater than 4 years were infected. Also, the English Bulldog recorded a higher prevalence of 8.75% in comparison to other species sampled. The presence of these parasites in pets poses a public health risk to their owners and the community at large. Proper hygiene and management of these pets and their faecal matter will reduce the risks of parasitic infections, even as our environment would be safe from the heavy burden of environmental contamination of biological waste of Dogs faecal matter

Distinct life history strategies underpin clear patterns of succession in microparasite communities infecting a wild mammalian host.

Individual animals in natural populations tend to host diverse parasite species concurrently over their lifetimes. In free-living ecological communities, organismal life histories shape interactions with their environment, which ultimately forms the basis of ecological succession. However, the structure and dynamics of mammalian parasite communities have not been contextualized in terms of primary ecological succession, in part because few datasets track occupancy and abundance of multiple parasites in wild hosts starting at birth. Here, we studied community dynamics of twelve subtypes of protozoan microparasites (Theileria spp.) in a herd of African buffalo. We show that Theileria communities followed predictable patterns of succession underpinned by four different parasite life-history strategies. In contrast to many free-living communities, network complexity decreased with host age. Examining parasite communities through the lens of succession may better inform the effect of complex within host eco-evolutionary dynamics on infection outcomes, including parasite co-existence through the lifetime of the host.

Parasite diversity and community structure of translocated Clarias gariepinus (Burchell) in South Africa: Testing co-introduction, parasite spillback and enemy release hypotheses.

Clarias gariepinus (Burchell) is one of several freshwater fish species that have been translocated beyond its natural geographic range in South Africa. The present study investigated the parasitic communities of two translocated populations (one in the Riviersonderend River, Western Cape and the other from the Great Fish River, Eastern Cape) as well as its native source population from Gariep Dam, Free State. A total of nine, seven, and eight parasitic taxa were found to parasitise various organs of C. gariepinus from the three populations, respectively. The diversity and abundances of parasitic species in the two translocated populations were similar, but distinct community assemblages were observed. Parasite community composition from the Great Fish River was similar to that of the source population from Gariep Dam, whereas the parasitic community from C. gariepinus in the Riviersonderend River was distinct from that of Gariep Dam. This, together with the introduction history into the Western Cape, suggests that translocated C. gariepinus is sourced from various systems across South Africa, or that suitable intermediate hosts are present in the recipient ecosystems to sustain host-specific co-introduced parasitic taxa of C. gariepinus. In total, the resilience of 11 specialist parasite species of C. gariepinus is demonstrated in their persistence upon co-introduction into the two novel environments with their host, and support for the enemy release hypothesis is confirmed in the loss of known parasite taxa in translocated populations. The presence of the co-invasive fish lice Argulus japonicus Thiele, 1900 is reported from C. gariepinus in Gariep Dam and the Asian tapeworm Schyzocotyle acheilognathi (Yamaguti, 1934) was found from translocated C. gariepinus in the Riviersonderend River, Western Cape and lastly, a suspected case of parasite spillback from an unknown native host is reported.

Diversity, distribution, and methodological considerations of haemosporidian infections among Galliformes in Alaska.

Using samples spanning 10-degrees of latitude in Alaska, we provide the first comparative assessment of avian haemosporidia distribution of Arctic Alaska with subarctic host populations for four species of grouse and three species of ptarmigan (Galliformes). We found a high overall prevalence for at least one haemospordian genus (88%; N=351/400), with spruce grouse (Canachites canadensis) showing the highest prevalence (100%; N=54/54). Haemoproteus and Plasmodium lineages were only observed within grouse, while Leucocytozoon species were found within both grouse and ptarmigan. Further, different Leucocytozoon lineages were obtained from blood and tissue samples from the same individual, potentially due to the differential timing and duration of blood and tissue stages. Using different primer sets, we were able to identify different Leucocytozoon lineages within 55% (N=44/80) of sequenced individuals, thereby detecting coinfections that may have otherwise gone undetected. The commonly used Haemoproteus/Plasmodium primers amplified Leucocytozoon for 90% (N=103/115) of the products sequenced, highlighting the potential value of alternate primers to identify intra-genus coinfections and the importance of obtaining sequence information rather than relying solely on PCR amplification to assess parasite diversity. Overall, this dataset provides baseline information on parasite lineage distributions to assess the range expansion associated with climate change into Arctic regions and underscores methodological considerations for future studies.

272 Differential expression of two Plasmodium falciparum variant surface antigen families in Malian children with cerebral malaria compared to mild malaria

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: Recent in vitro evidence suggests that diverse parasite protein families called RIFINs and STEVORs are displayed on the surface of infected red blood cells and may have a role in severe malaria, but they remain sparsely studied in natural infections. We measured the RNA expression of these antigens in Malian children with severe or mild malaria illness. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: We collected blood samples from Malian children aged six months to five years, including 14 with cerebral malaria, 10 with severe malarial anemia, and demographic-matched controls with mild, uncomplicated malaria. We extracted total RNA from each patient and used a custom capture array to selectively enrich Plasmodium falciparum parasite RNA. We then performed Illumina next-generation RNA sequencing and reconstructed parasite transcriptomes using reference-free de novo assembly. We identified RNA encoding RIFINs and STEVORs using an in-house classifier, then measured the diversity and abundance of gene expression for each infection. Expression diversity was defined as the number of unique variants transcribed. Expression abundance was calculated as transcripts per million (TPM). RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Cerebral malaria cases, but not severe malarial anemia cases, had higher diversity and abundance of RIFIN expression compared to mild infections. Type A RIFINs predominated over Type B RIFINs, and the same two RIFINs were predominantly expressed in all disease phenotypes. We anticipate that predominantly expressed RIFINs share high sequence homology with variants previously shown to bind blood antigens or immune inhibitory receptors. STEVOR expression was also higher in cerebral malaria compared to mild malaria, but STEVOR transcripts were sparse overall. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Elevated RIFIN expression in cerebral malaria over mild malaria supports a role for these antigens in pathogenesis. Severe malarial anemia may progress through a different pathogenic mechanism. Predominantly expressed RIFIN variants may be promising targets for vaccines and therapeutics to protect children against cerebral malaria.

Raccoons contraband - The metazoan parasite fauna of free-ranging raccoons in central Europe.

The invasive raccoon (Procyon lotor) is an abundant carnivore and considered as an important potential vector of infectious diseases and parasites in Europe. Raccoons show a broad, opportunistic, omnivorous food spectrum. Food supply and habitat quality in urban areas are very attractive for the generalist raccoon. This inevitably leads to increased interaction with humans, domestic animals and livestock, making the raccoon a potentially suitable zoonosis vector. In its autochthonous range, especially in the Eastern and Midwestern United States, the raccoon has been studied very intensively since the beginning of the 20th century. Whereas, basic field biology and parasitology studies in Germany and Europe are lacking and have only been conducted sporadically, regionally and on small sample sizes. In the presented study 234 raccoons from central Germany were comprehensively examined for their metazoan parasite fauna. The present study shows for the first time an extremely diverse parasite fauna in raccoons outside their native range and proves their essential role as intermediate hosts and hosts for ecto- and endoparasites. A total of 23 different parasite species were identified, five of which are human pathogens, 14 of which are new for the parasite fauna of raccoons in Europe. The human pathogenic raccoon roundworm Baylisascaris procyonis is the most common parasite species in this study, with a prevalence of up to 95%. The digenetic trematode Plagiorchis muris, another human pathogenic parasite species, was detected for the first time in raccoons. The ongoing spread of invasive carnivores and the associated spread and transmission of their parasites and other pathogens increases the potential health risk of wild and farmed animals as well as humans. An increase in parasitic diseases in humans (e.g. raccoon roundworm) is to be expected, especially in urban areas, where raccoons are becoming more and more abundant.

Specific Diversity of Helminth Parasites of the Edible Frog Hoplobatrachus occipitalis (Günther, 1858) in Agricultural Landscapes in the South-East of Ivory Coast, Africa.

This study describes the specific diversity of Helminth parasites of the edible frog Hoplobatrachus occipitalis (Günther, 1858) to assess the rate of infestation in three types of plantations (coconut, palm and banana plantations) in the south-east of Africa. A total of 156 frog specimens were collected in November 2019 from all the plantations and ten parasitic Helminth taxa were recorded. The overall prevalence (93.6%) showed a high infestation of the frog in these anthropized environments. The banana plantations that use the most fertilizers and pesticides had the highest prevalence (95.2%) suggesting pollution-related parasitic load. The number of parasites was higher in female frogs than in males, suggesting a sex-specific immune resistance. This study also highlights the parasite specificity and the sites of Helminth infestations. Trematodes of the genus Haematoelochus and Diplodiscus showed strict specificity in the lungs and large intestine/rectum of the host. The other parasites colonized the digestive tract with a more or less marked specificity. Our study provides several elements of response on the population of Helminth parasites of the edible frog Hoplobatrachus occipitalis, with a view to better knowledge, management, conservation and protection.

Host genetic identity determines parasite community structure across time and space in oyster restoration.

Intraspecific variation in host susceptibility to individual parasite species is common, yet how these effects scale to mediate the structure of diverse parasite communities in nature is less well understood. To address this knowledge gap, we tested how host genetic identity affects parasite communities on restored reefs seeded with juvenile oysters from different sources-a regional commercial hatchery or one of two wild progenitor lines. We assessed prevalence and intensity of three micro- and two macroparasite species for 4 years following restoration. Despite the spatial proximity of restored reefs, oyster source identity strongly predicted parasite community prevalence across all years, with sources varying in their relative susceptibility to different parasites. Oyster seed source also predicted reef-level parasite intensities across space and through time. Our results highlight that host intraspecific variation can shape parasite community structure in natural systems, and reinforce the importance of considering source identity and diversity in restoration design.

Non-Invasive Wildlife Disease Surveillance Using Real Time PCR Assays: The Case of the Endangered Galemys pyrenaicus Populations from the Central System Mountains (Extremadura, Spain)

The Iberian desman (Galemys pyrenaicus) is a small semi-aquatic mammal that inhabits mountainous areas from the centre to the north of the Iberian Peninsula and the Pyrenees and is listed as endangered because it has suffered a serious decline. Since 1960, only three species of digeneans (Omphalometra flexuosa, Maritrema pyrenaica and Mathovius galemydis) and two nematodes (Aonchotheca galemydis and Paracuaria hispanica) have been reported from the desman, but no further information on health status and no data from Extremadura has been available. The aim of our study was to characterise the diversity and distribution of parasites and microbiomes of desmans in different areas of the Central System of Extremadura. Between 2019 and 2021 we collected 238 fecal samples and one tissue (intestine) sample that was obtained from a dead desman. DNA templates were processed by commercial or customised real-time PCR using TaqMan probes. Representative data were obtained for Cryptosporidium spp., Omphalometra spp., Eimeria spp., Salmonella spp., Staphylococcus spp. and Leptospira spp. Omphalometra spp. was studied using a newly developed PCR test. The screening of the dead desman allowed us to obtain, for the first time, a partial sequence of the 18SrDNA. This study is the most complete study of the desman, allowing us to identify parasites and the microbiome in populations of G. pyrenaicus using non-invasive sampling.

Haemoproteus jenniae (Haemoproteidae, Haemosporida) infects gulls (Larus spp.) in South Africa, with redescription of Haemoproteus skuae.

Haemoproteus spp. are dipteran-borne protozoa that infect erythrocytes and reticulo-endothelial cells of birds. These parasites are not usually transmitted between birds belonging to different orders. The suborder Lari (order Charadriiformes) comprises ~170 avian species, the majority of which are aquatic, including gulls, terns, auklets, murres and skuas, among others. In spite of the diversity of this avian group, there is limited known diversity of haemosporidian parasites, with only 4 recorded Haemoproteus morphospecies thus far. We examined the blood smears of 21 kelp gulls (Larus dominicanus) captured at a breeding colony in South Africa, as well as Haemoproteus-positive archival blood smears of 15 kelp gulls and 1 Hartlaub's gull (Larus hartlaubii) sampled while under care at seabird rehabilitation facilities in South Africa. Haemoproteus sp. infection was detected in 19% of wild-caught kelp gulls. All parasites from the gulls were morphologically identified as Haemoproteus jenniae, a species previously recorded in Lari birds at the Galapagos Islands (Ecuador), Rocas Atoll (Brazil) and Poland. Gene sequencing uncovered a new cytochrome b lineage, LARDOM01, which was closely related to the previously reported H. jenniae lineage CREFUR01. Additionally, we evaluated a hapantotype blood smear of Haemoproteus skuae, which had been described infecting a brown skua (Catharacta antarctica) in South Africa. We provide a redescription of H. skuae and discuss the morphological characters distinguishing it from H. jenniae. Further research is necessary to improve our knowledge about the host and geographic distribution, health effects and phylogeny of H. jenniae and H. skuae.

Continuity in intestinal parasite infection in Aalst (Belgium) from the medieval to the early modern period (12th-17th centuries)

ObjectiveTo characterize patterns in the taxonomic diversity of parasites infecting the population of Aalst, Belgium, between the 12th and 17th centuries. Materials14 sediment samples from seven cesspits dated 1100–1700 CE. MethodsDigital light microscopy and Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). ResultsWe identified eggs of four species of helminths: whipworm (Trichuris trichiura), roundworm (Ascaris lumbricoides), Echinostoma fluke and Dicrocoelium fluke. ELISA results for protozoal parasites were negative. ConclusionsTaxonomic diversity of parasite infections remained constant from the 12th to the 17th centuries. Roundworm and whipworm, spread by poor sanitation, were dominant. Two species of zoonotic parasites were also identified, including for the first time ever in the Low Countries the Echinostoma fluke, which may have been spread by eating uncooked freshwater animal foods. SignificanceAnalysis of sediment samples spanning such a broad chronology (six centuries) from a single city offers the opportunity to track diachronic change, which is rare in paleoparasitological studies. LimitationsWe were unable to acquire samples from cesspits dating to the 14th century. Suggestions for further researchAdditional data from other Low Countries towns may strengthen the patterns identified in this paper. A similar approach can be used to investigate towns in different regions of the world.

Parasites indicate trophic complexity and faunal succession in restored oyster reefs over a 22-year period.

Foundation species like the eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) create complex habitats for organisms across multiple trophic levels. Historic declines in oyster abundance have prompted decades of restoration efforts. However, it remains unclear how long it takes for restored reefs to resemble the trophic complexity of natural reefs. We used a space-for-time approach to examine community succession of restored reefs ranging in age from 3 to 22 years old in coastal North Carolina, surveying both free-living taxa and parasite communities and comparing them to natural reefs that are decades old. Trophically transmitted parasites can serve as valuable biodiversity surrogates, sometimes providing greater information about a system or question than their free-living counterparts. We found that the diversity of free-living taxa was highly variable and did not differ among new (<10 years), old (20 years), and natural reefs. Conversely, parasite diversity increased with elapsed time after restoration, and parasite communities in older restored reefs resembled those found in natural reefs. Our study also revealed that oyster toadfish (Opsanus tau) act as a key host species capable of facilitating parasite transmission and trophic ascent in oyster reef food webs. Overall, our results suggest that trophic complexity in restored oyster reefs requires at least 8 years to resemble that found in natural reefs. This work adds to a growing body of evidence demonstrating how parasites can serve as biodiversity surrogates, proxies for the presence of additional taxa that are often difficult or impractical to sample. Given the multiplicity of links formed with their hosts, parasites offer a powerful tool for quantifying diversity and trophic complexity in environmental monitoring studies.

Prevalence and Morphological Investigation of Parasitic Infection in Freshwater Fish (Nile Tilapia) from Upper Egypt

Fish are a source of high-quality protein with low cholesterol, but they are susceptible to parasitic infections, which have a significant impact on aquaculture, in addition to their zoonotic potential. The present study estimated parasitic infections and evaluated the diversity of zoonotic parasites in freshwater Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in Assiut Governorate, Upper Egypt. A total of 300 samples were randomly collected from the Assiut Governorate. These fish were examined for both ectoparasites and endoparasites, followed by the experimental infection of mice with encysted metacercariae (EMC) for the retrieval of the adult worms. The overall prevalence of the variable parasites was 82% (246 of 300). Both ecto- and endoparasites were detected in 41% (123 of 300) of the examined fish. The identified ectoparasites were Gyrodactylus, Dactylogrus, Cichlidogyrus, Trichodina and Icthyophthirius multifiliis, in 5%, 4%, 22%, 6% and 4% of the fish, respectively. The endoparasites were trematodes (Orientocreadium batrachoides 3%), nematodes (Contracaecum. 2%), acanthocephala (Acanthosentis tilapiae 25%) and protozoa that included Isospora and Eimeria spp., in 1% and 8% of fish, respectively. Myxobolus was detected in 2% of the examined fish. The overall prevalence of encysted metacercariae (EMC) was 95% (285 of 300), while infection with macroscopic EMC had a prevalence of 37% and microscopic EMC had a prevalence of 58%. The adult worms recovered from the experimental infections were Prohemistomum vivax and Mesostephanus spp., which belong to the family Cyathocotylidae. Collectively, these findings reflect the relatively high occurrence of parasites among the studied fish, confirming the necessity of strict measures to control infection.

Molecular epidemiology of continued Plasmodium falciparum disease transmission after an outbreak in Ecuador

To better understand the factors underlying the continued incidence of clinical episodes of falciparum malaria in E-2025 countries targeting elimination, we characterized the molecular epidemiology of Plasmodium falciparum disease transmission after a clonal outbreak in Ecuador. Here we study disease transmission by documenting the diversity and population structure of the major variant surface antigen of the blood stages of P. falciparum encoded by the var multigene family. We used a high-resolution genotyping method, “varcoding”, involving targeted amplicon sequencing to fingerprint the DBLα encoding region of var genes to describe both antigenic var diversity and var repertoire similarity or relatedness in parasite isolates from clinical cases. We identified nine genetic varcodes in 58 P. falciparum isolates causing clinical disease in 2013-2015. Network analyses revealed that four of the varcodes were highly related to the outbreak varcode, with identification of possible diversification of the outbreak parasites by recombination as seen in three of those varcodes. The majority of clinical cases in Ecuador were associated with parasites with highly related or recombinant varcodes to the outbreak clone and due to local transmission rather than recent importation of parasites from other endemic countries. Sharing of types in Ecuadorian varcodes to those sampled in South American varcodes reflects historical parasite importation of some varcodes, especially from Colombia and Peru. Our findings highlight the translational application of varcoding for outbreak surveillance in epidemic/unstable malaria transmission, such as in E-2025 countries, and point to the need for surveillance of local reservoirs of infection in Ecuador to achieve the malaria elimination goal by 2025.

Zoonotic helminths and protozoa infesting commercially important marine crustaceans along the Kenyan coast

Marine crustaceans support important small-scale fisheries along the Kenyan coast. Annual catches have been declining, with climate change, pollution, overfishing and parasites proposed as causes. It is unknown whether parasite intensity and diversity change between locations, sea - sons and host species. The current study aimed to address this by analysing gastro-intestinal (GIT) parasites of two prawn species, Penaeus indicus and Metapenaeus monoceros, and two lobster species, Panulirus ornatus and P. homarus. A total of 240 prawns and 240 lobsters were collected from Malindi, Kilifi and Gazi, and intestinal contents microscopically examined for the presence of parasites. Observed parasites included Schistosoma mansoni (mean egg per gram (EPG) of 112.33), Strongyloides spp. (mean EPG of 94.80), Hymenolepis diminuta (mean EPG of 104.55), and Hymenolepis nana (mean EPG of 104.85). The Protozoa Entamoeba coli (mean EPG of 75.76) was observed. There was a significant difference in parasite intensity among host species (p &lt; 0.00) as well as intensity between seasons. There was no significant difference in intensity among landing sites, except in E. coli (p = 0.05). Parasite diversity was not dependent on sites or seasons but varied with host species. The current study found that all the GIT parasites identified are zoonotic and could present a human health threat.

High diversity of microsporidian parasites and new planktonic hosts in freshwater and marine ecosystems

AbstractMicrosporidia are a large group of obligate intracellular eukaryotic parasites related to fungi primarily known as parasites of vertebrates and invertebrates. They are well described as parasites of organisms of interest (e.g., edible fish and crustaceans, honeybees, bioindicators such as daphnia, humans) on which they can have an important impact (e.g., reduced survival or fecundity and sex ratio distortion). However, their diversity in aquatic environments, especially in marine ecosystems, has been greatly understudied since they are not targeted by classical eukaryotic primers used in metabarcoding studies. Moreover, little is known about their hosts among protists or microzooplankton and therefore about their impact on the trophic food web functioning. In this work, we sampled 15 different sites across marine and freshwater environments, size‐fractioned the samples, and used microsporidian specific primers associated with metabarcoding to study the microsporidian diversity (and the associated spatial variation). Co‐occurrence networks as well as tyramide signal amplification‐fluorescent in situ hybridization were used to link potential hosts (planktonic eukaryotes &lt; 150 μm) and Microsporidia diversity. Our analysis unraveled a large microsporidian diversity which was widely divergent between the two environments studied. In both of them, an important part of this diversity was not affiliated to a genus, suggesting an important reservoir of new microsporidian species and thus new hosts among planktonic eukaryotes. Co‐occurrence networks and fluorescence microscopy showed for the first‐time associations between Microsporidia and dinoflagellates in freshwater and marine environments.

The Potential of the Figitidae Family as Natural Insect Regulators Pests (Insecta: Hymenoptera)

Eucoilinae, belonging to the Figitidae family, are the most abundant and diverse parasites of this family, which potentially be used for biological control in different localities and cultures and are widely distributed throughout Latin America, with a high efficiency in natural conditions. However, the diversity and biology of these individuals remains poorly understood and they are examined on a global scale. The diversity and biology of these individuals still are little known, however, reviews in global scale about them. The objective of this work is to investigate the biology, ecology, habitat, geographic distribution, taxonomy, life cycle, phenology, biological control, and work carried out on the Figitidae family (Insecta: Hymenoptera). The revision research was carried out based on studies related to the quantitative and conceptual aspects of Figitidae. A bibliographic search was carried out containing national and international articles from 1986 to 2022. The mini-review was carried out in Goiânia, Goiás, from September to October 2021, using digital platforms such as: Abstract, Scielo,ResearchGate, Academia.edu, Frontiers, Publons, Wide Science, Springer, RefSeek, Microsoft Academic Science Research.com, CAPES Periodicals, Google Academic, Bioline International, Scopus, Web of Science, Portal of Scientific Journals in Health Sciences and the internet. The results obtained from the present study indicate the need for more studies on Figitidae fauna to contribute to refine the related knowledge.

Hemogregarine Diversity Infecting Brazilian Turtles with a Description of Six New Species of Haemogregarina (Apicomplexa: Adeleorina: Haemogregarinidae)

(1) Background: Hemoparasites of the genus Haemogregarina (Haemogregarinidae) are commonly reported in freshwater turtles. However, in Brazil, only three species have currently been characterised using molecular methods. This study aimed to bring new insights on the diversity of species of Haemogregarina infecting Brazilian freshwater turtles from Mato Grosso and Goiás states using molecular and morphological tools. (2) Methods: In total, 2 mL of blood was collected, with between two to five blood smears prepared, fixed with absolute methanol, and stained with a 10% Giemsa solution. Blood was stored at −20 °C for molecular analysis targeting the 18S rRNA gene. Fragments of the organs (liver, spleen, heart, and kidney) were separated and stained with hematoxylin-eosin. (3) Results: A total of 40 turtles were screened and hemogregarines were observed in 34 (85%) individuals (3 Podocnemis expansa and 31 Podocnemis unifilis). Haemogregarina embaubali and six new species of Haemogregarina were observed and formally described as follows: H. unifila n. sp., H. rubra n. sp., H. goianensis n. sp., H. araguaiensis n. sp., H. tigrina n. sp., and H. brasiliana n. sp. (4) Conclusions: This study contributes to the diversity and knowledge of Brazilian fresh-water turtle blood parasites, using integrative approaches for diagnosing and characterizing hemoparasites, with the identification of six undescribed species.

Conservation of Host, Translocation of Parasites—Monitoring of Helminths during Population Reinforcement of the European Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus citellus)

Gastrointestinal helminth parasites can be transferred during conservation translocations and impact their outcome. The current study applied non-invasive coprological sampling to investigate the helminth infection rates and dynamics in translocated and resident European ground squirrels, during and after a population reinforcement. The FLOTAC method was calibrated and applied for the first time for the target species. In the studied coprological samples, helminth eggs belonging to Acanthocephala and Nematoda were found; the latter were morphologically identified as belonging to the families Capillariidae (Enoplida) and Trichostrongylidae (Strongylida) and superfamily Spiruroidea (Spirurida). The overall helminth prevalence and their diversity were higher in the donor colony compared to the resident one before the reinforcement. Pronounced seasonal dynamics in the parasite prevalence and diversity were observed, and their values were considerably lower in spring than in summer in both translocated and resident hosts. A year after the start of the translocation, the helminth prevalence and number of species detected in the reinforced colony had increased significantly. This is in accordance with epidemiological models and other empirical studies that predict a positive relationship between the population density of a host and the prevalence and species richness of parasites.

Invasion by an ecosystem engineer changes biotic interactions between native and non-native taxa.

Earth systems are nearing a global tipping point, beyond which the dynamics of biological communities will become unstable. One major driver of instability is species invasion, especially by organisms that act as "ecosystem engineers" through their modification of abiotic and biotic factors. To understand how native organisms respond to modified habitat, it is essential to examine biological communities within invaded and non-invaded habitat, identifying compositional shifts in native and non-native taxa as well as measuring how modification by ecosystem engineers has affected interactions among community members. Using dietary metabarcoding, our study examines the response of a native Hawaiian generalist predator (Araneae: Pagiopalus spp.) to habitat modification by comparing biotic interactions across metapopulations of spiders collected in native forest and sites invaded by kāhili ginger. Our study shows that, although there are shared components of the dietary community, spiders in invaded habitat are eating a less consistent and more diverse diet consisting of more non-native arthropods which are rarely or entirely undetected in spiders collected from native forest. Additionally, the frequency of novel interactions with parasites was significantly higher in invaded sites, reflected by the frequency and diversity of non-native Hymenoptera parasites and entomopathogenic fungi. The study highlights the role of habitat modification driven by an invasive plant in altering community structure and biotic interactions, threatening the stability of the ecosystem through significant changes to the biotic community.