Host intrinsic determinants and potential consequences of parasite infection in free-ranging red-fronted lemurs (Eulemur fulvus rufus)
(2010) In American Journal of Physical Anthropology 142(3). p.441-452- Abstract
- Parasites and infectious diseases represent ecological forces shaping animal social evolution. Although empirical studies supporting this link abound in various vertebrate orders, both the study of the dynamics and impact of parasite infections and infectious diseases in strepsirrhine primates have received little empirical attention. We conducted a longitudinal parasitological study on four groups of wild red-fronted lemurs (Eulemur fulvus rufus) at Kirindy Forest, Madagascar, during two field seasons in consecutive years to investigate i) the degree of gastrointestinal parasite infection on population and individual levels and ii) factors potentially determining individual infection risk. Using a comprehensive dataset with multiple... (More)
- Parasites and infectious diseases represent ecological forces shaping animal social evolution. Although empirical studies supporting this link abound in various vertebrate orders, both the study of the dynamics and impact of parasite infections and infectious diseases in strepsirrhine primates have received little empirical attention. We conducted a longitudinal parasitological study on four groups of wild red-fronted lemurs (Eulemur fulvus rufus) at Kirindy Forest, Madagascar, during two field seasons in consecutive years to investigate i) the degree of gastrointestinal parasite infection on population and individual levels and ii) factors potentially determining individual infection risk. Using a comprehensive dataset with multiple individually assignable parasite samples as well as information on age, sex, group size, social rank, and endocrine status (fecal androgen and glucocorticoid), we examined parasite infection patterns and host traits that may affect individual infection risk. In addition, we examined whether parasite infection affects mating and reproductive success. Our results indicated high variability in parasite infection on individual and population levels. Time of year and group size was important determinants of variability in parasite infection. Variation in hormone levels was also associated with parasite species richness and parasite infection intensity. Differences in parasite infection between years indicate a potential immune-enhancing function of steroid hormones on nematode infections, which has not been reported before from other vertebrates studied under natural conditions. Male mating and reproductive success were not correlated to any measure of parasite infection, which suggests a nonfunctional role of the parasites we examined in primate sexual selection. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/4342421
- author
- Clough, Dagmar LU ; Heistermann, Michael and Kappeler, Peter M.
- publishing date
- 2010
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- primates, helminth, protozoa, hormones, reproductive success
- in
- American Journal of Physical Anthropology
- volume
- 142
- issue
- 3
- pages
- 441 - 452
- publisher
- John Wiley & Sons Inc.
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:77953516563
- pmid:20091843
- ISSN
- 0002-9483
- DOI
- 10.1002/ajpa.21243
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- no
- id
- 4be70bf9-7897-4d56-a8ba-dc769c45c56f (old id 4342421)
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-01 10:29:35
- date last changed
- 2022-01-25 23:48:36
@article{4be70bf9-7897-4d56-a8ba-dc769c45c56f,
abstract = {{Parasites and infectious diseases represent ecological forces shaping animal social evolution. Although empirical studies supporting this link abound in various vertebrate orders, both the study of the dynamics and impact of parasite infections and infectious diseases in strepsirrhine primates have received little empirical attention. We conducted a longitudinal parasitological study on four groups of wild red-fronted lemurs (Eulemur fulvus rufus) at Kirindy Forest, Madagascar, during two field seasons in consecutive years to investigate i) the degree of gastrointestinal parasite infection on population and individual levels and ii) factors potentially determining individual infection risk. Using a comprehensive dataset with multiple individually assignable parasite samples as well as information on age, sex, group size, social rank, and endocrine status (fecal androgen and glucocorticoid), we examined parasite infection patterns and host traits that may affect individual infection risk. In addition, we examined whether parasite infection affects mating and reproductive success. Our results indicated high variability in parasite infection on individual and population levels. Time of year and group size was important determinants of variability in parasite infection. Variation in hormone levels was also associated with parasite species richness and parasite infection intensity. Differences in parasite infection between years indicate a potential immune-enhancing function of steroid hormones on nematode infections, which has not been reported before from other vertebrates studied under natural conditions. Male mating and reproductive success were not correlated to any measure of parasite infection, which suggests a nonfunctional role of the parasites we examined in primate sexual selection.}},
author = {{Clough, Dagmar and Heistermann, Michael and Kappeler, Peter M.}},
issn = {{0002-9483}},
keywords = {{primates; helminth; protozoa; hormones; reproductive success}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{3}},
pages = {{441--452}},
publisher = {{John Wiley & Sons Inc.}},
series = {{American Journal of Physical Anthropology}},
title = {{Host intrinsic determinants and potential consequences of parasite infection in free-ranging red-fronted lemurs (Eulemur fulvus rufus)}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.21243}},
doi = {{10.1002/ajpa.21243}},
volume = {{142}},
year = {{2010}},
}