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Reproductive effort and seasonality associated with male-biased parasitism in Gracilinanus agilis (Didelphimorphia: Didelphidae) infected by Eimeria spp. (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) in the Brazilian cerrado

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 April 2015

A. L. S. STRONA ,
M. LEVENHAGEM  and
N. O. LEINER
A. L. S. STRONA
Affiliation:
Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Brazil
M. LEVENHAGEM
Affiliation:
Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Brazil
N. O. LEINER*
Affiliation:
Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Brazil
*
* Corresponding author. Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Brazil. E-mail: [email protected]
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Summary

The aggregation of parasites among hosts is associated with differential host exposure and susceptibility to parasites, which varies according to host gender, body size, reproductive status and environmental factors. We evaluated the role of these factors on infestation by Eimeria spp. (Eimeriidae) in the agile gracile mouse opossum (Gracilinanus agilis), a semelparous didelphid inhabiting neotropical savannahs. Eimeria spp. abundance and prevalence among G. agilis were associated with the breeding status of individuals and to a lesser extent to climatic season, with both sexes presenting higher Eimeria spp. burdens during late breeding/wet season. On the other hand, male-biased parasitism was restricted to dry/mating season. We suggest that male spatial organization and diet may account for increased parasite burdens within this sex, although future studies should evaluate the role of physiological differences associated with androgen hormones. Finally, a rapid increase in Eimeria spp. loads among females during the late breeding/wet season seems associated with seasonal changes in susceptibility, due to breeding costs related to semelparity, and exposure to infective propagules, while male-die off seems to explain maintenance of higher Eimeria spp. burdens within this sex in the same period.

Keywords

sex-biased parasitismreproductionsemelparityEimeriidaeDidelphidae
Type
Research Article
Information
Parasitology , Volume 142 , Issue 8 , July 2015 , pp. 1086 - 1094
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Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2015 

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