Effect of host age, sex and life stage on the prevalence and abundance of sucking lice on Weddell seal in the Antarctic Peninsula

SOTO, FLORENCIA ANABELLA; JAVIER NEGRETE; KLAICH, M.J.; LEONARDI, MARIA SOLEDAD

ANAIS DA ACADEMIA BRASILEIRA DE CIENCIAS.

ACAD BRASILEIRA DE CIENCIAS

Lugar: Rio de Janeiro; Año: 2022 vol. 94

0001-3765

Through evolutionary time, seal lice have developed morphological, behavioral,and ecological adaptations to cope with the amphibious lifestyle of their hosts in a coevolutionaryprocess. Consequently, the dynamics of lice populations are determinedby seals behavior. We aim to study the effects of host sex, age class, year, and samplinglocation, on the prevalence and mean abundance of Antarctophthirus carlinii, onWeddell seals (WS) Leptonychotes wedelli. The study was conducted at two sites in theAntarctic Peninsula, namely, Marambio/Seymour Island (MI) and the Danco Coast (DC).We collected lice from 71 WS: 33 from MI, during the reproductive season, and 38 from DC,during the molting season, between 2014 and 2017. According to our analyses, host ageclass and sex were the variables that affected prevalence levels of lice on WS. Whereas,age class, year, site, and sex affected lice mean abundance. Juveniles presented higherprevalence and mean abundance than adults, possibly acting as reservoirs for lice asthey move through different colonies until they reach reproductive age. Concurrently,seals during molting season were more infested. Unlike nursing, during the moltingseason seals spend much time ashore forming mixed groups that favor both eggdevelopment and lice transmission.