Ecological and molecular associations between Neotropical wild felids and Taenia (Cestoda: Taeniidae) in the Atlantic Forest: a new report for Taenia omissa

ARRABAL, J.P; ARCE, L. F.; MACCHIAROLI, N.; KAMENETZKY, L.

PARASITOLOGY RESEARCH

SPRINGER

Lugar: Berlin; Año: 2023

0932-0113

Ecological associations between wild felids andparasites from the Taeniidae family are related to predator-prey interactions,where felids act as definitive hosts while their prey, herbivores and/oromnivores, act as intermediate hosts. In the Atlantic Forest, six neotropicalfelid species coexist in sympatry, but the ecological parasite-host interactionsremain poorly studied. Taenia omissa is a tapeworm that parasitizescougars (Puma concolor) as its only definitive host, and their ungulateprey as intermediate hosts. The aim of this study was to identify tapewormspresent in road-killed fauna using both molecular and morphologicalcharacteristics and their predator-prey relationship. Adult tapeworms found ina cougar, a jaguarundi (Herpailurus yagouaroundi), two ocelots (Leoparduspardalis); and metacestodes found in a red brocket deer (Mazamaamericana) and a wild guinea pig (Cavia aperea) were analyzed. Throughmorphological analysis of rostellar hooks and molecular analysis of themitochondrial genetic marker cox1, Taenia omissa adultindividuals were identified in the cougar, and metacestodes in the red brocketdeer, proving the existence of a full host-parasite life cycle in the AtlanticForest region. This new report reveals the southernmost record of T. omissa andbroadens its geographic distribution. In addition, isolates of Taenia genusdivergent from those described so far in molecular databases were reported andsuggest a wild cycle that involves the jaguarundi and agouti (Dasyproctaasarae) as definitive and intermediate hosts, respectively. These resultshighlight the complexity of the tapeworm population in the region and the needto study it with both morphological and molecular approaches