Article
Environmental Sciences
Jessica Jimenez-Penuela, Martina Ferraguti, Josue Martinez-de la Puente, Ramon C. Soriguer, Jordi Figuerola
Summary: This study monitored the infection status of bird blood parasites in different regions of southern Spain, revealing different infection patterns possibly related to the composition and density of vector communities. The specific reproductive environmental requirements of different vector groups involved in transmission may be affected by climatic conditions and landscape features.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Vajiheh Ghaemitalab, Omid Mirshamsi, Gediminas Valkiunas, Mansour Aliabadian
Summary: This study in South and Southeast Iran during the bird breeding seasons of 2017 and 2018 found that avian haemosporidians, including Haemoproteus, Plasmodium, and Leucocytozoon, were prevalent with Haemoproteus lineages being the most common. The study also identified 19 new host records and 13 co-infections of Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon parasites, indicating active local transmission in resident bird species.
Article
Ecology
Paulina Alvarez-Mendizabal, Fabricio Villalobos, Karla Rodriguez-Hernandez, Carolina Hernandez-Lara, Oscar Rico-Chavez, Gerardo Suzan, Leonardo Chapa-Vargas, Diego Santiago-Alarcon
Summary: The study examined the metacommunity structure of avian haemosporidians in different elevations in Central Veracruz, Mexico, finding that environmental conditions play a more significant role than host-related traits in shaping the parasite assemblages. The research identified a nested pattern of parasite distribution across bird species, with varying levels of turnover observed across elevations, and highlighted the influence of climatic variables on parasite turnover at the habitat level. Environmental filtering was shown to be a key factor in structuring parasite communities at the landscape scale.
ACTA OECOLOGICA-INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Juliana Tamayo-Quintero, Josue Martinez-de la Puente, Miriam San-Jose, Catalina Gonzalez-Quevedo, Hector F. Rivera-Gutierrez
Summary: The study evaluates the effects of bird community on avian haemosporidians infections in a Neotropical region. The findings show that bird community dominance and richness do not significantly affect the prevalence and number of avian parasite infections, but they are related to the total number and expected richness of parasite lineages. This study contributes significantly to our understanding of blood parasite diversity in tropical birds within a relatively understudied region of South America.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Parasitology
Sandrine Musa
Summary: By developing a sensitive nested PCR assay, researchers successfully amplified the complete mitochondrial genomes of haemosporidian parasites in birds. This provides valuable data for conducting phylogenetic analyses and accurately defining species, as well as discovering multiple new haemosporidian parasite species.
PARASITOLOGY RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Carolina Romeiro Fernandes Chagas, Rasa Binkiene, Gediminas Valkiunas
Summary: The study investigated blood parasite infections in Eurasian blackbird and Song thrush, identifying a new Lankesterella species and molecularly characterizing Splendidofilaria mavis. Different blood parasite species showed varied circadian rhythms of parasitemia peaks, suggesting potential impacts on disease transmission and host-parasite interactions.
Article
Parasitology
Sandrine Musa, Ute Mackenstedt, Friederike Woog, Anke Dinkel
Summary: The development of new molecular methods has improved the detection and identification of avian haemosporidian parasites. Many previously unknown species have been discovered. Different detection methods showed differences in detection rate, and combination of methods yielded the best results.
PARASITOLOGY RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Karla Rodriguez-Hernandez, Paulina Alvarez-Mendizabal, Leonardo Chapa-Vargas, Federico Escobar, Wesley Dattilo, Diego Santiago-Alarcon
Summary: Host-parasite distribution and interactions are influenced by various factors including geography, evolutionary associations, species composition, and environmental variables. This study focused on the haemosporidian-avian host communities in tropical mountain systems to understand how network interactions affect parasite-host specialization. The findings revealed that vegetation type constrains the distribution of hosts and parasites, and intraspecies infection intensity plays a crucial role in the dynamics and interactions of the haemosporidian community.
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Arif Ciloglu, Alparslan Yildirim, Didem Pekmezci, Gamze Yetismis, Neslihan Sursal Simsek, Emrah Simsek, Onder Duzlu, Zuhal Onder, Nesrin Delibasi Kokcu, Gokmen Zafer Pekmezci, Vincenzo A. Ellis, Abdullah Inci
Summary: This study developed a new one-step multiplex PCR protocol to detect and differentiate different avian haemosporidian infections. The protocol was successfully applied to identify infections in domestic pigeons in Turkey and assess the host specificity of the parasite. These findings provide valuable data on the prevalence and distribution of avian haemosporidians.
VETERINARY RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Katrina D. Keith, John P. Pistone, Tyler A. Campbell, Gary A. Voelker
Summary: Avian haemosporidian parasites in Texas, specifically Haemoproteus, Leucocytozoon, and Plasmodium, have been relatively understudied despite the large geographic area and diverse ecoregions. This study conducted in south Texas found different infection patterns and parasite community composition between adjacent ecoregions. The findings provide important insights into the prevalence and disease ecology of avian malaria in this area.
Article
Ecology
Daniela de Angeli Dutra, Antoine Filion, Alan Fecchio, Erika Martins Braga, Robert Poulin
Summary: Migration plays a significant role in the transmission of parasites, with migratory birds potentially introducing new parasite strains to new areas and hosts. The presence of migrants may negatively impact local parasite richness, but is not associated with local prevalence, demonstrating their potential role in enhancing pathogen spread and influencing parasite community transmission.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Raquel A. Rodrigues, Gabriel M. F. Felix, Mauro Pichorim, Patricia A. Moreira, Erika M. Braga
Summary: The study investigated avian haemosporidian parasites in a protected area in northeastern Brazil, showing that migration and temperature may predict parasite prevalence. Individual-level traits and other species-specific factors were not related to infection probability.
Article
Ornithology
Virginia Sanz, Alfredo Mijares, Romel Rosales, Adriana Silva-Iturriza
Summary: By amplifying and sequencing mitochondrial DNA barcodes, the researchers screened the frequency of haemosporidian parasites in birds from two islands in Venezuela. The study found that endemic bird subspecies had a higher infection rate compared to non-endemic forms, with four novel parasite lineages discovered. Unexpectedly, a host-switching event was observed in a dove species, challenging previous co-speciation theories.
ORNITOLOGIA NEOTROPICAL
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Merit Gonzalez-Olvera, Arturo Hernandez-Colina, Julian Chantrey, Simon Allen, Javier Lopez, Matthew Baylis
Summary: The study shows that using blood from feather shafts for detecting haemosporidian infections can be a beneficial and less invasive alternative to blood sampling. Storage temperature and bird characteristics can affect DNA recovery and the probability of detecting haemosporidians.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Parasitology
Daniela de Angeli Dutra, Alan Fecchio, Erika Martins Braga, Robert Poulin
Summary: Research shows that fully migratory species have higher parasite prevalence and greater richness of parasite lineages. However, there is no significant difference in parasite prevalence between migratory and non-migratory species when looking at Plasmodium and Haemoproteus separately.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Brent M. Horton, Thomas B. Ryder, Ignacio T. Moore, Christopher N. Balakrishnan
GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR
(2020)
Review
Behavioral Sciences
Ignacio T. Moore, Jessica Hernandez, Wolfgang Goymann
HORMONES AND BEHAVIOR
(2020)
Article
Ecology
T. Brandt Ryder, Roslyn Dakin, Ben J. Vernasco, Brian S. Evans, Brent M. Horton, Ignacio T. Moore
AMERICAN NATURALIST
(2020)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Ben J. Vernasco, Brent M. Horton, Ignacio T. Moore, T. Brandt Ryder
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Ben J. Vernasco, Ignacio T. Moore
GENERAL AND COMPARATIVE ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jessica Hernandez, Camilo Escallon, Daniel Medina, Ben J. Vernasco, Jenifer B. Walke, Lisa K. Belden, Ignacio T. Moore
Article
Ornithology
Meredith E. Kernbach, Vincent M. Cassone, Thomas R. Unnasch, Lynn B. Martin
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Craig M. Lind, Ignacio T. Moore, Ben J. Vernasco, La Toya Latney, Peter M. DiGeronimo, Terence M. Farrell
GENERAL AND COMPARATIVE ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Ecology
Roslyn Dakin, Ignacio T. Moore, Brent M. Horton, Ben J. Vernasco, T. Brandt Ryder
Summary: This study explored the relationship between testosterone levels and social network dynamics in wire-tailed manakins, finding that high levels of testosterone significantly influenced the specialization, stability, and behavioral assortment of social networks. The results supported the main hypothesis that individual-level hormone physiology can predict group-level network dynamics.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Sydney F. Hope, Sarah E. DuRant, Frederic Angelier, John J. Hallagan, Ignacio T. Moore, Charline Parenteau, Robert A. Kennamer, William A. Hopkins
GENERAL AND COMPARATIVE ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Ecology
Ben J. Vernasco, Roslyn Dakin, Ariana D. Majer, Mark F. Haussmann, T. Brandt Ryder, Ignacio T. Moore
Summary: The study on male wire-tailed manakins shows a relationship between telomere length and male social behavior, with more social males having shorter telomeres and higher rates of telomere attrition. Telomere length was found to be highly repeatable, with only two individuals exhibiting telomere elongation exceeding measurement error. Overall, telomeres in this species appear to be flexible traits that can vary with social behavior.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Editorial Material
Zoology
Camilo Alfonso, Blake C. Jones, Ben J. Vernasco, Ignacio T. Moore
Summary: The neotropical manakins, known for their extreme sexual dimorphism and lek-breeding behavior, offer a great opportunity for integrative studies of sexual selection. Male courtship displays are elaborate and often involve auditory and visual cues, performed in rapid and acrobatic manners. Researchers have come together to address the implications of sexual selection on evolution, ecology, behavior, and physiology in manakins, highlighting their remarkable genomic, behavioral, and physiological adaptations.
INTEGRATIVE AND COMPARATIVE BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Meredith A. Semel, Heather N. Abernathy, Brandon P. Semel, Michael J. Cherry, Tsioriniaina J. C. Ratovoson, Ignacio T. Moore
Summary: This study highlights the importance of studying the movement and foraging behavior of golden-crowned sifaka across different seasons and forest types. Developing conservation plans based on a single snapshot can lead to inaccurate assessments of their natural behavior and resource needs.
Article
Biology
Ivana Schoepf, Sarena Olson, Ignacio T. Moore, Frances Bonier
Summary: Hosts with long coevolutionary history with parasites often assume negligible fitness costs of chronic infection. However, experimental manipulation of infections reveals effects of parasites on hosts during reproduction. In this study, the authors found that reducing haemosporidian infections in red-winged blackbirds resulted in significant benefits to mothers and their offspring.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Natalie Claunch, Ignacio Moore, Heather Waye, Laura Schoenle, Samantha J. Oakey, Robert N. Reed, Christina Romagosa
Summary: The study found that the baseline CORT and body condition of the invasive snake Boiga irregularis changed over time, with samples in better body condition typically having lower baseline CORT. The hormonal response to acute stress was higher in 2018. There was a weak relationship between circulating CORT and bacterial killing ability in the 2018 samples, but the biological significance of this relationship is unclear.
CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)