Nematode infection patterns in four sympatric lizards from a restinga habitat (Jurubatiba) in Rio de Janeiro state, southeastern Brazil

Abstract

Specimens of the four most abundant diurnal lizards (Tropidurus torquatus, Cnemidophorus littoralis, Mabuya macrorhyncha and M. agilis) inhabiting the restinga of Jurubatiba, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil were examined for nematodes. Eight species of nematodes were found. Tropidurus torquatus had the richest (8 species) and most diverse nematode fauna, whereas that of C. littoralis was the poorest (2 species) and less diverse. Tropidurus torquatus also had the highest overall prevalence (92%) and mean infection intensity (37.2; standard deviation 82.0; range 2-549). Similarities in nematode faunal composition between host species was generally low, except between the two Mabuya species.

Helminths of lizards from the municipality of Aripuanã in the southern Amazon region of Brazil

“…This statement is corroborated by a number of studies carried out in the Neotropical region (e.g. Vrcibradic et al, 2000;Bursey et al, 2005c) as well as the present investigation.…”

“…However, when the total numbers of helminth species per individual and per lizard species were analysed, sit-and-wait foragers tended to harbour more helminths than active foragers. Although Aho (1990) suggests that active foragers tend to harbour a richer and more complex helminth fauna, a number of studies on Brazilian lizards reveal the opposite trend, with tropidurids exhibiting the richest fauna (see Ribas et al, 1998;Vrcibradic et al, 2000). A diversified diet, with higher values of niche breadth, including plant material, and higher percentages of ants may be responsible for this pattern, as found in many tropidurid species (Vrcibradic et al, 2000).…”

“…Although Aho (1990) suggests that active foragers tend to harbour a richer and more complex helminth fauna, a number of studies on Brazilian lizards reveal the opposite trend, with tropidurids exhibiting the richest fauna (see Ribas et al, 1998;Vrcibradic et al, 2000). A diversified diet, with higher values of niche breadth, including plant material, and higher percentages of ants may be responsible for this pattern, as found in many tropidurid species (Vrcibradic et al, 2000). Like populations of Tropidurus, lizards of the genus Plica have a diversified diet, involving a greater proportion of ants (Vitt, 1993).…”

“…Similarities in helminth fauna tend to be greater between closely related sympatric lizards (see Aho, 1990;Vrcibradic et al, 2000). Phylogeny has a substantial impact on lizard ecology (Pianka & Vitt, 2003), which is reflected in the establishment of the helminth community (Poulin, 1997).…”

Diet of the lizard Liolaemus occipitalis in the coastal sand dunes of southern Brazil (Squamata-Liolaemidae)

“…Seasonal variations in diet are usually associated with the availability of prey in the environment. This variation was verified in Cnemidophorus tigris BAIRD andGIRARD, 1852 (Pianka, 1970), Polychrus acustirostris SPIX, 1825 (Vitt and Lacher, 1981), Iguana iguana (LINNAEUS, 1758) (Schoener et al, 1982), Plica plica (LINNAEUS, 1758) (Vitt, 1991), Tropidurus itambere (RODRIGUES, 1987) (Van Sluys, 1995), Mabuya macrorhyncha (HOGE, 1946) (Vrcibradic and Rocha, 1995), Liolaemus lutzae (MERTENS, 1938) (Rocha, 1996), Tropiduru torquatus (WIED-NEUWIED, 1820) (Fialho et al, 2000) and C. littoralis (ROCHA, ARAÚJO, VRCIBRADIC and COSTA, 2000) (Teixeira-Filho et al, 2003). Ontogenetic variations may appear in the size or type of prey.…”