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Assessing host–parasite specificity through coprological analysis: a case study with species of Corynosoma (Acanthocephala: Polymorphidae) from marine mammals

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 April 2011

F.J. Aznar ,
J. Hernández-Orts ,
A.A. Suárez ,
M. García-Varela ,
J.A. Raga  and
H.L. Cappozzo
F.J. Aznar
Affiliation:
Unitat de Zoologia Marina, Institut Cavanilles de Biodiversitat y Biologia Evolutiva, Universitat de València, PO Box 22085, Valencia46071, Spain
J. Hernández-Orts
Affiliation:
Unitat de Zoologia Marina, Institut Cavanilles de Biodiversitat y Biologia Evolutiva, Universitat de València, PO Box 22085, Valencia46071, Spain
A.A. Suárez
Affiliation:
Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales ‘B. Rivadavia’, Av. Ángel Gallardo 470, Buenos AiresC1405DJR, Argentina
M. García-Varela
Affiliation:
Departamento de Zoología, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Avenida Universidad 3000, Ciudad Universitaria, C.P. 04510, México Distrito Federal
J.A. Raga
Affiliation:
Unitat de Zoologia Marina, Institut Cavanilles de Biodiversitat y Biologia Evolutiva, Universitat de València, PO Box 22085, Valencia46071, Spain
H.L. Cappozzo*
Affiliation:
Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales ‘B. Rivadavia’, Av. Ángel Gallardo 470, Buenos AiresC1405DJR, Argentina
*
*E-mail: cappozzo@retina.ar
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Abstract

In this paper we report an investigation of the utility of coprological analysis as an alternative technique to study parasite specificity whenever host sampling is problematic; acanthocephalans from marine mammals were used as a model. A total of 252 scats from the South American sea lion, Otaria flavescens, and rectal faeces from 43 franciscanas, Pontoporia blainvillei, from Buenos Aires Province, were examined for acanthocephalans. Specimens of two species, i.e. Corynosoma australe and C. cetaceum, were collected from both host species. In sea lions, 78 out of 145 (37.9%) females of C. australe were gravid and the sex ratio was strongly female-biased. However, none of the 168 females of C. cetaceum collected was gravid and the sex ratio was not female-biased. Conversely, in franciscanas, 14 out of 17 (82.4%) females of C. cetaceum were gravid, but none of 139 females of C. australe was, and the sex ratio of C. cetaceum, but not that of C. australe, was female-biased. In putative non-hosts, the size of worms was similar to that from specimens collected from prey. Results suggest that both acanthocephalans contact sea lions and franciscanas regularly. However, C. australe and C. cetaceum cannot apparently reproduce, nor even grow, in franciscanas and sea lions, respectively. Coprological analysis may represent a useful supplementary method to investigate parasite specificity, particularly when host carcasses are difficult to obtain.

Type
Research Papers
Information
Journal of Helminthology , Volume 86 , Issue 2 , June 2012 , pp. 156 - 164
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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