Molecular characterization of haemosporidian and haemogregarine diversity in southwestern Iberian amphibians and reptiles

Abstract

The knowledge of the diversity and geographic distribution of parasite species is the first step towards understanding processes of global epidemiology and species conservation. Despite recent increases in research on reptiles and amphibians haemosporidian and haemogregarine parasites, we still know little about their diversity and parasite-host interactions, especially in the Iberian Peninsula, where a few studies have been conducted. In this study, the haemosporidian and hemogregarine diversity and phylogenetic relationships of southwestern Iberian amphibians and reptiles were assessed using PCR approaches on 145 blood samples. The amphibians did not present any of both groups of parasites studied. Regarding the reptile species, six Hepatozoon and one Haemocystidum haplotypes were found infecting four different species, revealing new host records for these parasites. Among them, we found one new isolate Haemocystidium haplotype and three new isolates and a previously reported Hepatozoon haplotype from a north African snake. This finding suggests that some Hepatozoon parasites may not be host-specific and have large geographic ranges even crossing geographical barriers. These results increased the geographic distribution and the number of known host species of some reptile apicomplexan parasites, highlighting the great unexplored diversity of them in this region.

One gecko’s pain is another gecko’s gain: is the Moorish geckoTarentola mauritanicabecoming invasive in France?

“…Tarentola mauritanica often carry intestinal parasites (Helminth) (El-Rghibi et al, 2022), hemoparasites ( Leishmania tarentolae , haemogregarines of the Genera Hepatozoon ssp.) (Rioux et al, 1969; Tomé et al, 2016; Parejo-Pulido et al, 2023) and acari (geckobians) (Girot, 1968; Bertrand et al, 2012) which may impact the physiology, the immunity and the behaviour of their hosts (Oppliger et al, 1996; Oppliger & Clobert, 1997; Amo et al, 2005). The introduction of non-indigenous parasites transmitted to the local T. mauritanica population by fortuitous individual displacement is also to be considered, along with their potential impact on physiology and population dynamics.…”

Impact of haemogregarine parasite infections on the behaviour of Podarcis lizards

“…Marzal et al, 2017), although this aspect often remains uninvestigated (Horváth et al, 2020;Paranjpe et al, 2014). Furthermore, the lack of a resolved phylogeny and related taxonomy of haemogregarine parasites of reptiles (Megía-Palma et al, 2023a;Parejo-Pulido et al, 2023) and widespread reliance on a single, slow-evolving molecular marker (18S rRNA) to screen for haemogregarines means that parasite diversity present in these systems cannot be fully assessed and is likely to be underestimated.…”