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Int J Primatol (2013) 34:11371152
DOI 10.1007/s10764-013-9728-2
Nigel A. Parr & Linda M. Fedigan & Susan J. Kutz
Received: 8 May 2013 /Accepted: 14 August 2013 /Published online: 5 November 2013 # Springer Science+Business Media New York 2013
Abstract Parasite infections in wildlife are influenced by many factors including host demography, behavior and physiology, climate, habitat characteristics, and parasite biology and ecology. White-faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus) host a suite of gastrointestinal and pulmonary parasites, yet the mechanisms affecting host susceptibility and parasite transmissibility have not been examined in this host species. We used the information-theoretic approach (Akaikes information criterion) and traditional null-hypothesis testing to determine which host characteristics, behaviors, or environmental factors affected the presence of two prevalent capuchin parasites (Filariopsis barretoi and Strongyloides sp.) as well as parasite species richness in four groups of wild capuchins from September 2007 to January 2008 and January to August 2009. Older capuchins were more likely to be infected with Filariopsis barretoi and had higher parasite species richness. Age-biased nematode infections may stem from age differences in capuchin behavior and physiology while high species richness likely results from long- term exposure to numerous parasite species. Infections with Strongyloides sp. were more likely to occur in the dry season when capuchins often descend to the forest floor to drink from terrestrial water sources, potentially increasing their risk of infection from soil-borne larvae. Capuchin behaviors were poor predictors of parasitism, as were female rank, host sex, home range size, and habitat quality. Many of our results were atypical for primate parasitology, suggesting that hostparasite interactions, and subsequently infection risk, may differ in highly seasonal habitats such as tropical dry forests where these monkeys occur.
Keywords Costa Rica . Filariopsis . Parasites . Parasite species richness . Platyrrhini . Strongyloides . Tropical dry forest
N. A. Parr (*) : L. M. Fedigan
Department of Anthropology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada e-mail: [email protected]
S. J. Kutz
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
Predictors of Parasitism in Wild White-Faced Capuchins (Cebus capucinus)
1138 N.A. Parr et al.
Introduction
Parasites are important drivers of natural selection that can affect host population dynamics and social structure (Nunn and Altizer 2006). Although deaths directly attributed to parasitic...