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T unnamed, and very few species have well-documented distributions or population sizes. These data gaps can be resolved by targeting parasites in biodiversity monitoring and sampling programs; protecting, modernizing, and using biological collections as a resource for studying longterm change; and harnessing modern revolutions in bioinformatics and genomics to track shifting host-parasite interactions and catalog new species.…parasite conservation is ready to make the jump from premise to practice. Case studies of successful parasite conservation exist, especially where parasites were conserved along with their hosts during host translocation and ex situ host conservation efforts. Following these examples, standard conservation protocols can minimize (real or perceived) tradeoffs between parasite and host vulnerability, and make protecting parasites alongside their hosts the default option. More broadly, frameworks are in place to start protecting parasites in their own right, including vulnerability assessment, classification on Red Lists, and protection through endangered species legislation.…growing interest in parasite conservation is an asset worth fostering. As academics, conservation practitioners, and stakeholders increasingly work towards advancing parasite conservation, their efforts can be supported through resources and training. At the same time, sharing the benefits and beauty of parasites with the general public through education, outreach, and citizen science could build stronger local and global communities that support parasite conservation efforts.

Although theoretical models consider social networks as pathways for disease transmission, strong empirical support, particularly for indirectly transmitted parasites, is lacking for many wildlife populations. We found multiple genetic strains of the enteric bacterium Salmonella enterica within a population of Australian sleepy lizards (Tiliqua rugosa), and we found that pairs of lizards that shared bacterial genotypes were more strongly connected in the social network than were pairs of lizards that did not. In contrast, there was no significant association between spatial proximity of lizard pairs and shared bacterial genotypes. These results provide strong correlative evidence that these bacteria are transmitted from host to host around the social network, rather than that adjacent lizards are picking up the same bacterial genotype from some common source.

Graphical abstract