Helminth communities from amphibians inhabiting agroecosystems in the Pampean Region (Argentina)

DRAGO F; DRAGHI R; AGOSTINI MG; SAIBENE PE

REVUE SUISSE DE ZOOLOGIE

MUSEUM HISTOIRE NATURELLE

Lugar: Genève; Año: 2020 vol. 127 p. 261 - 274

0035-418X

The objectives of this study were to describe the composition and infection patterns of the helminth communitiesassociated with four amphibians (P. minuta, B. pulchella, L. latrans and R. fernandezae) with different life-habits, andadditionally to compare the helmith fauna associated with these amphibians in agroecosystems with different land use(crops and livestock). A total of 300 anuran individuals and twelve helminth taxa were collected in sites located northeastof the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Helminth communities differed between amphibian species according to theirhabitat preference, digeneans were predominant in aquatic and arboreal amphibians (Hylidae) and nematodes with directlife cycle were found parasitizing semi-aquatic and terrestrial amphibians (Leptodactylidae and Bufonidae). In three ofthe frog species (B. pulchella, L. latrans and R. fernandezae), parasite prevalence did not vary significantly according toland use. The values of abundance and infracommunity species richness, meanwhile, varied according to land use, withthe highest abundance values in crop sites and higher richness in livestock sites. Regardless of the use of land, L. latranspresented the highest values of prevalence, abundance, and richness of helminth species. This is the first study assessingthe ecological aspects of parasite taxa in populations of P. minuta, B. pulchella and L. latrans that inhabit agroecosystemsin Argentina.