Odontophrynus occidentalis (Cururu Lesser Escuerzo) parasitism

VILLANOVA, JL; GULLO B.; VENTURINO, A.; BARRETO, E.; NATALE, GUILLERMO SEBASTIÁN

HERPETOLOGICAL REVIEW

SOCIETY FOR THE STUDY OF AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES

Lugar: plymouth; Año: 2022 vol. 53 p. 296 - 296

0018-084X

ODONTOPHRYNUS OCCIDENTALIS (Cururu Lesser Escuerzo).PARASITISM. Predation and parasitism have been consideredimportant elements in shaping the life histories of amphibians(Beebee 1996. Ecology and Conservation of Amphibians. SpringerNetherlands, Dordrecht, Netherlands. 214 pp.). The ecologicalrelationships between amphibians and leeches are very complex,with leeches potentially acting as predators or parasites onall life stages of amphibians, including their eggs (Romano andDi Cerbo 2007. Acta Zool. Sin. 53:750–754; Bach et al. 2018. Herpetol.Rev. 49:309), larvae (Gunzburger and Travis 2005. J. Herpetol.39:547–571), and adults (Merilä and Sterner 2002. Ann. Zool.Fenn. 39:343–346; Velazco et al. 2016. Cuad. Herpetol. 30:17–19).Freshwater leeches, including temporary ectoparasites andpredatory species, may affect amphibian physiology and anatomy,causing damage and reducing fecundity or survival, directlyor indirectly (Chivers et al. 2001. Oikos 92:135–142). Leeches canaffect amphibians in a direct way by preying on eggs and hatchlingsat different stages of development (Chivers et al. 2001, op.cit.), and by parasitizing adults (Merilä and Sterner 2002, op. cit.).Additionally, leeches may contribute to the spread of pathogens(Raffel et al. 2006. J. Parasitol. 92:1256–1264) and secondary parasites(Sawyer 1986. Leech Biology and Behaviour. II. Feeding Biology,Ecology and Evolution. Clarendon Press, Oxford, England.374 pp.).