Factors Influencing Ectoparasitism on Western Fence Lizards (Sceloporus Occidentalis): Host Sex, Testosterone, Reproductive Condition, and Behavior

Season, Body Condition, and Sex Variation of Ectoparasite Abundance in Tarentola delalandii (Squamata: Phyllodactylidae) from Two Ecologically Contrasting Populations of Tenerife (Canary Islands)

“…Concerning the sex effect on parasite load, Pollock (2011) reported that males of several species of Sceloporus Wiegmann, 1828 have a higher concentration of ectoparasites than females, and those with higher testosterone levels have a higher number of ectoparasites; Pollock (2011) went on to argue that testosterone increased territorial behaviors, which could contribute to males contacting a more significant number of parasites. For the gecko Quedenfeldtia trachyblepharus, the prevalence was higher in males than in females, but the intensity did not differ significantly with sex (Comas, 2020).…”

“…The main factors influencing the degree of parasitism of a specimen are sex, hormonal status, reproductive condition, and behavior (Pollock, 2011). Ectoparasite abundance can also be influenced by physical interaction between individuals, such as sexual contact, fighting, communal nesting, or shared shelters (Rivera et al, 2003;Bertrand et al, 2013), and parasite prevalence and load can be affected by environmental conditions such as community composition, temperature, and humidity.…”