Frequency of Avian Haemosporidian Parasites in Birds From Margarita and Coche Islands, Venezuela

Abstract

By amplifying and sequencing a mitochondrial DNA barcode (cytb), we screened the frequency of haemosporidian parasites (Haemoproteus, Plasmodium, Leucocytozoon) in 366 birds (23 species) from Margarita and Coche islands, Venezuela. In Coche (N = 24), none of the birds were infected, while in Margarita (N = 342) 13 individuals were (3.8%). The frequency of these parasites in endemic bird subspecies was more than double than in non-endemic forms (endemics = 7.3% vs non-endemic = 3.1%, N = 342), but it was not statistically significant. We found eight parasite lineages, four of which are novel (COLPAS09, COLSQU03, COLSQU04, HYPRUF01). COLSQU03, recorded in a dove (Columbina squammata), falls within the Haemoproteus (Parahaemoproteus) subgenus. This was unexpected because a strong signal of co-speciation has been found between Columbidae and the Haemoproteus (Haemoproteus) subgenus, suggesting a host-switching event.