Haemogregarina spp. in a wild population from Podocnemis unifilis Troschel, 1848 in the Brazilian Amazonia

Abstract

The study objectives were to characterize the morphology of the parasitic forms and describe the prevalence and intensity of Haemogregarina spp. in a population of the turtle Podocnemis unifilis as well as to examine the relationships between parasitism and turtle variables such as gender, size, and weight. Samples were taken in the Tapajós and Jamanxim rivers, Itaituba, Pará state, Brazil. Blood was collected from the tail vein of 72 P. unifilis specimens, including 35 males, 36 females, and one unsexed juvenile. The prevalence of Haemogregarina spp. was 98% (n = 71). The mean parasite intensity of Haemogregarina spp. was 118 (1-582) parasites/2000 blood cells (6%). There was no significant difference in the mean parasite intensity between male (137.68 ± 121.8, n = 35) and female turtles (101.42 ± 123.59, n = 35). There was no relationship between parasite intensity and carapace length. Although the relationship between parasite intensity and host body weight was significant, the relationship was weak. This is the first study on Haemogregarina parasitism with a relatively high number of turtles in Brazil.

Prevalence and parasitemia of Haemogregarina sp. in Podocnemis expansa (Testudines: Podocnemididae) from the Brazilian Amazon

“…In P. unifilis of the Tapajós River, state of Pará, Brazil, the recorded level of parasitemia was 6% (n = 72) (SOARES et al, 2014). Until recently, the highest levels of parasitemia recorded were 1.7% (n = 7) in Chelydra serpentina (MCAULIFFE, 1977) and 1.6% (n = 45) in Testudo graeca ibera (MIHALCA et al, 2008).…”

Haemogregarine (Apicomplexa: Adeleorina) infection in Vanderhaege's toad-headed turtle, Mesoclemmys vanderhaegei (Chelidae), from a Brazilian Neotropical savanna region

“…The prevalence recorded for Mesoclemmys vanderhaegei was relatively higher than that found in Phrynops geoffroanus (Schweigger) a chelonian of the same family (27.6%, n = 58), which was studied in an anthropised areas in the Cerrado (Campos-Brites and Rantin 2004). In two other studies in Brazil, haemogregarines were recorded in 66% (n = 75) of Podocnemis expansa (Schweigger) individuals (Picelli et al 2015) and 98% (n = 78) of Podocnemis unifilis Troschel individuals (Soares et al 2014), both of which are large species distributed throughout the Amazon region.…”

“…However, in comparison with two other Brazilian turtle species that have been studied, the average intensity of M. vanderhaegei was relatively lower. In P. unifilis in the Tapajós River in the state of Pará, the average was 6% (n = 78), and in P. expansa in the Javaés River in the state of Tocantins, the average was 3% (n = 25) (Soares et al 2014, Picelli et al 2015. The factors involved in these differences are still unknown, but the type of environment occupied by these hosts is probably important.…”

“…Two groups of hemoparasites have been recorded in these chelonians. The first group comprises haemogregarines of the genus Haemogregarina in Phrynops geoffroanus (Schweigger), Podocnemis unifilis Troschel, and Podocnemis expansa (Schweigger) (Campos- Brites and Rantin 2004, Soares et al 2014, Picelli et al 2015, Oliveira et al 2018, Úngari et al 2018. The second group consists of malarial parasites of the genus Haemoproteus Kruse, 1890, Haemoproteus peltocephali Lainson and Naiff, 1998 in Peltocephalus dumerilianus (Schweigger), Haemoproteus geochelonis (Lainson and Naiff, 1998) in Chelonoidis denticulatus (Linnaeus) and recently, Haemoproteus sp.…”

Caracterização morfológica, morfométrica e molecular de hemogregarinas (Apicomplexa: Adeleina) presentes em répteis de vida livre e cativeiro

“…No Brasil, poucos relatos e todos, identificaram somente o gênero baseados, principalmente, nas formas evolutivas sanguíneas em testudines. Dentre partir dessas semelhanças morfológicas e morfométricas observadas entre o presente estudo e o deSoares et al (2014), pode-se inferir pertencer a mesma espécie de Haemogregarina, entretanto os autores só descreveram o gênero.Em relação aos gametócitos extracelulares,Laison et al (2003), estudando o desenvolvimento de Hepatozoon caimani em Caiman crocodilus crocodilus observou morfologia e morfometrias semelhantes ao presente estudo. Das cinco características morfológicas observadas, a M1 e a M2 estavam presentes em serpentes de vida livre de C. durissus.…”