Helminthologia (Jun 2018)

Raillietiella mottae (Pentastomida: Raillietiellidae) parasitizing four species of Gekkota lizards (Gekkonidae and Phyllodactylidae) in the Brazilian Caatinga

  • Lima V. F.,
  • Brito S. V.,
  • Araujo Filho J. A.,
  • Teles D. A.,
  • Ribeiro S. C.,
  • Teixeira A. A. M.,
  • Pereira A. M. A.,
  • Almeida W. O.

DOI
https://doi.org/10.2478/helm-2018-0006
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 55, no. 2
pp. 140 – 145

Abstract

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We tested the role of sex, size, and mass of the lizards Phyllopezus pollicaris, Gymnodactylus geckoides, Hemidactylus agrius, Lygodactylus klugei, and Hemidactylus brasilianus on the rates of pentastomid infection in the Brazilian Caatinga. We collected 355 individuals of these five species, of which four (prevalence of infection: P. pollicaris 15.9 %, G. geckoides 1.4 %, H. agrius 28.57 %, and H. brasilianus 4.16 %) were infected by Raillietiella mottae. Parasite abundance was influenced by host body size and mass only in P. pollicaris. Host sex did not influence the abundance of parasites in any species. Hemidactylus agrius, G. geckoides, and H. brasilianus are three new host records for pentastomids.

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