Spatial variation in gender-biased parasitism: host-related, parasite-related and environment-related effects

Abstract

The gender-biased pattern of parasite infestation has been shown to be a complicated phenomenon that cannot be explained by a single mechanism but rather involves several different mechanisms. We asked what are the factors that affect the manifestation and extent of gender-biased parasitism and studied the relationship between parasite-related (mean abundance, mean species richness and total species richness of all parasites), host-related (rodent density and proportion of reproductive males and females both separately and together) and environment-related (mean daily maximal and minimal temperatures, rainfall and relative humidity) factors and the magnitude of gender-biased infestation of a South African rodent Rhabdomys pumilio by ixodid ticks, gamasid mites, lice and fleas. We found that spatial variation in gender differences in parasite infestation was affected by parasite-, host- and environment-related factors, although the set of factors affecting gender differences in infestation differed among higher taxa of ectoparasites. Gender differences in infestation by fleas and lice were affected mainly by parasite-related factors, whereas gender differences in infestation by ticks and, in part, by mites were affected mainly by host-related and environmental factors. In addition, spatial variation in most measures of gender difference in mite infestation remained unexplained.

Flea diversity and prevalence on arid-adapted rodents in the Oriental Basin, Mexico

“…Particularly, P. difficilis is very abundant, which can explain flea abundance. As mentioned by Morand and Poulin (1998), and Krasnov and Matthee (2010), population density is an important factor influencing dispersion and/or propagation, and distribution of parasites among individuals, as well as parasite specific richness. This fact might explain seasonal abundance.…”

A molecular survey of vector-borne pathogens in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) from Bosnia and Herzegovina

“…Interestingly, the infection rate of females was significantly higher, which suggests that females have an important role in the maintaining and spreading of infection. It has been suggested that there is a difference in parasite burden between males and females and between parasitic taxa due to differences such as hormone level or innate immune response [ 54 , 55 ]. However, for H. canis the differences of the parasite load between females and males has not been explained, yet.…”

Effects of the transmissibility and virulence of pathogens on intraguild predation in fragmented landscapes

“…The spreading dynamics of pathogenic infection in response to habitat fragmentation is largely determined by the life history of the pathogen, specifically by its transmissibility, host specificity and virulence (Krasnov and Matthee, 2010;Froeschke et al, 2013). Here, we found that the response of the pathogen to habitat fragmentation was indeed determined by its transmissibility, virulence and the trophic level of its host.…”