title: Temporal and demographic blood parasite dynamics in two free-ranging neotropical primates.
abstract: Parasite-host relationships are influenced by several factors intrinsic to hosts, such as social standing, group membership, sex, and age. However, in wild populations, temporal variation in parasite distributions and concomitant infections can alter these patterns. We used microscropy and molecular methods to screen for naturally occurring haemoparasitic infections in two Neotropical primate host populations, the saddleback (Leontocebus weddelli) and emperor (Saguinus imperator) tamarin, in the lowland tropical rainforests of southeastern Peru. Repeat sampling was conducted from known individuals over a three-year period to test for parasite-host and parasite-parasite associations. Three parasites were detected inL. weddelliincludingTrypanosoma minasense,Mansonella mariae,and Dipetalonemaspp., whileS. imperatoronly hosted the latter two. Temporal variation in prevalence was observed inT. minasenseandDipetalonemaspp., confirming the necessity of a multi-year study to evaluate parasite-host relationships in this system. Although callitrichids display a distinct reproductive dominance hierarchy, characterized by single breeding females that typically mate polyandrously and can suppress the reproduction of subdominant females, logistic models did not identify sex or breeding status as determining factors in the presence of these parasites. However, age class had a positive effect on infection withM. mariaeandT. minasense, and adults demonstrated higher parasite species richness than juveniles or sub-adults across both species. Body weight had a positive effect on the presence ofDipetalonemaspp. The inclusion of co-infection variables in statistical models of parasite presence/absence data improved model fit for two of three parasites. This study verifies the importance and need for broad spectrum and long-term screening of parasite assemblages of natural host populations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Whitney R. Harris World Ecology Center, University of Missouri-St. Louis, One University Blvd., Saint Louis, MO 63121, USA; Field Projects International, 7331 Murdoch Ave, Saint Louis, MO 63119, USA.
authors.forename: Gideon A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Erkenswick
authors.affiliation: Field Projects International, 7331 Murdoch Ave, Saint Louis, MO 63119, USA; Department of Anthropology, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive, Saint Louis, MO 63130, USA.
authors.forename: Mrinalini
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Watsa
authors.affiliation: Comparative Medicine Branch, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
authors.forename: Alfonso S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Gozalo
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Whitney R. Harris World Ecology Center, University of Missouri-St. Louis, One University Blvd., Saint Louis, MO 63121, USA.
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dmytryk
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Whitney R. Harris World Ecology Center, University of Missouri-St. Louis, One University Blvd., Saint Louis, MO 63121, USA; WildCare Institute, Saint Louis Zoo, One Government Dr., Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA.
authors.forename: Patricia G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Parker
keywords: Blood parasites; Callitrichidae; Co-infection; Cooperative breeding; Longitudinal sampling