The Distribution of Gastrointestinal Parasites in Two Populations of Common Mole-Rats (Cryptomys hottentotus hottentotus)

Abstract

The spread of parasites through a host population is based on the variation in behavior and immune function between individuals and is rarely uniform. We studied the gastrointestinal parasites of common mole-rats (Cryptomys hottentotus hottentotus, Lesson 1826) from 2 sites and assessed the levels of infection based on host sex, breeding status and season. Only nematode species were found; Neoheligmonella sp. and Mammalakis macrospiculum (Ortlepp, 1939), and a single specimen of Trichuris sp., all of which have direct life cycles. Parasite burden and species richness was greater in the mesic habitat. The abundance of Neoheligmonella sp. differed significantly between seasons and the season of peak abundance differed between sites, perhaps due to differences in host densities between sites. In addition, parasite burden did not differ between the sexes but breeding animals had higher infections of Neoheligmonella sp. and M. macrospiculum than non-breeding animals. This and previous studies thus suggest that the subterranean environment is beneficial in reducing parasite diversity, although the restrictions on movement may lead to certain individuals suffering higher parasite burdens.

Limited Evidence for Parallel Molecular Adaptations Associated with the Subterranean Niche in Mammals: A Comparative Study of Three Superorders

“…At the same time, however, similar or even higher numbers of loci and terms with related function and such signatures were detected in the nonsubterranean taxa, and thus we found no evidence of high selective pressures in the immune system in taxa that live underground. Archer et al. (2017) recently discussed the contrasting nature of selection on the immune system in taxa that live above versus below the ground, with potentially less diversity in parasites in the latter, while experiments on subterranean and nonsubterranean rodents have revealed contrasting susceptibility to viruses ( Artwohl et al.…”

Description of gastrointestinal parasitism through coprologic survey in Darwin’s fox, Lycalopex fulvipes (Martin 1837), and kodkod, Leopardus guigna (Molina 1782), in Chiloé island, Chile

“…and trematodes are frecuently reported parasitising rodents (eg. Robles et al 2006;Behnke et al 2015;Archer et al 2017;Panti-May et al 2017); thus, its detection on both kodkod and Darwin's fox faeces could be also likely due to passive transit through the gastrointestinal tract of both carnivores. Although, wild carnivores are also fi nal host of some Trichuris and Capillarinae gen sp.…”

Helminth and protozoan parasites of subterranean rodents (Chordata, Mammalia, Rodentia) of the world

“… Archer et al (2017) , in a seasonal comparative study between two Common mole-rat populations found Mammalakis macrospiculum , Neoheligmonella Durette-Desset, 1971, and Trichuris sp. in Cryptomys hottentotus collected from two different habitats, including an arid site, 25 km outside of Kamieskroon, the Northern Cape and a mesic site near Darling, western Cape, South Africa.…”

“…Linnaeus, 1758. Just one year later, Lutermann et al (2013), during the study on energetic benefits and costs of parasitism in a cooperative mammal identified Raillietina sp., and Ascarops africana from the small intestine of Cryptomys hottentotus collected from KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Archer et al (2017), in a seasonal comparative study between two Common molerat populations found Mammalakis macrospiculum, Neoheligmonella Durette-Desset, 1971, and Trichuris sp. in Cryptomys hottentotus collected from two different habitats, including an arid site, 25 km outside of Kamieskroon, the Northern Cape and a mesic site near Darling, western Cape, South Africa.…”