Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-22dnz Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-26T14:10:46.908Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Species richness in helminth communities: the importance of multiple congeners

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2009

C. R. Kennedy
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Sciences, Hatherly Laboratories, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4PS, UK
A. O. Bush
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, Brandon University, Brandon, Manitoba R7A 6A9, Canada

Summary

Using data sets derived from published literature, the contribution of congeneric species to helminth component community richness is evaluated. Consideration of the frequency distribution of congeners in relation to host and parasite groups reveals that the distributions are unimodal, that singletons are the commonest class and that the frequency of occurrence of congeners decreases with increasing number of species per genus. Congeners may be found in any group of hosts or parasites, but are more common amongst cestodes of aquatic birds. Two patterns of occurrence of congeneric species are recognized: one in which from a few to multiple congeners are found within a single helminth genus, exemplified by dactylogyrid monogeneans and cloacinid nematodes, and the other in which there is a simultaneous occurrence of congenerics and confamilials such that there are several genera involved, but each represented by fewer species, exemplified by strongyles in horses. The question of whether these patterns can be considered examples of species flocks is discussed. We conclude that multiple congeners and species flocks are interesting phenomena but, except in isolated cases, they make insignificant contributions to community richness.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1992

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Beveridge, I. (1981). Discussion. In Second Symposium on Host Specificity Amongst Parasites of Vertebrates. Mémoires du Muséum National d'histoire Naturelle, Serie A. Zoologie 123, 92.Google Scholar
Boomker, J., Horak, I. G. & De VOS, V. (1986). The helminth parasites of various artiodactylids from some South African nature reserves. Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research 53, 93102.Google ScholarPubMed
Bray, R. A. (1986). Patterns in the evolution of marine helminths. In Parasitology – Quo Vadit? (ed. Howell, N. J.) pp. 337344. Proceedings of the Sixth International Congress of Parasitology, Brisbane. Australian Academy of Science, Canberra.Google Scholar
Brooks, D. R. (1979). Testing hypotheses of evolutionary relationships among parasites: the digeneans of crocodilians. American Zoologist 19, 1225–38.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bush, A. O., Aho, J. M. & Kennedy, C. R. (1990). Ecological versus phylogenetic determinants of helminth parasite community richness. Evolutionary Ecology 4, 120.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bush, A. O. & Holmes, J. C. (1983). Niche separation and the broken-stick model: use with multiple assemblages. American Naturalist 122, 849–55.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bush, A. O. & Holmes, J. C. (1986). Intestinal helminths of lesser scaup ducks: an interactive community. Canadian Journal of Zoology 64, 142–52.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chabaud, A. G. (1957). Revue critique des nematodes du genre Quilonia Lane 1914 et du genre Murshidia Lane 1914. Annales du Parasitologie Humaine et Commparée 31, 98131.Google Scholar
Chen Chih–, Leu. (1984). Parasitical fauna of fishes from Liao Me (Hiaoho River) of China. In Parasitic Organisms of Freshwater Fish of China, (ed. Institute of Hydrobiology Academia Sinica), pp. 4181. Beijing: Agricultural Publishing House.Google Scholar
Echelle, A. A. & Kornfield, I. (1984). Evolution of Fish Species Flocks. Orono, Maine: University of Maine at Orono Press.Google Scholar
Esch, G. W., Bush, A. O. & Aho, J. M. (1990). Parasite Communities: Patterns and Processes. London: Chapman & Hall.Google Scholar
Goater, C. P. & Bush, A. O. (1988). Intestinal helminth communities in long-billed curlews: the importance of congeneric host-specialists. Holarctic Ecology 11, 140–5.Google Scholar
Greenwood, P. H. (1984). What is a species flock? In Evolution of Fish Species Flocks (ed. Echelle, A. A. & Kornfield, I.). pp. 1319. Orono, Maine: University of Maine at Orono Press.Google Scholar
Horak, I. G. (1978). Parasites of domestic and wild animals in South Africa. X. Helminths in Impala. Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research 45, 221–8.Google ScholarPubMed
Inglis, W. G. (1971). Speciation in parasitic nematodes. Advances in Parasitology 9, 201–23.Google ScholarPubMed
Izyumova, N. A. (1987). Parasitic Fauna of Reservoir Fishes of the USSR and its Evolution. New Delhi: Amerind Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd.Google Scholar
Kennedy, C. R., Bush, A. O. & Aho, J. M. (1986). Patterns in helminth communities: why are birds and fish different? Parasitology 93, 205–15.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kikkawa, J. (1986). Complexity, diversity and stability. In Community Ecology (ed. Kikkawa, J. & Anderson, D. J.) pp. 4162. Oxford: Blackwell Scientific Publications.Google Scholar
Kikkawa, J. & Anderson, D. J. (1986). Community Ecology. Oxford: Blackwell Scientific Publications.Google Scholar
Lack, D. (1947). Darwin's Finches. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Lebedev, B. I. (1978). Some aspects of Monogenean existance. Folia Parasitologica (Praha) 25, 131–6.Google Scholar
Lichtenfels, J. R. (1975). Helminths of domestic equids. Illustrated keys to genera and species with emphasis on North American forms. Proceedings of the Helminthological Society of Washington 42, 192.Google Scholar
Lotz, J. M. & Font, W. F. (1985). Structure of the enteric helminth communities in two populations of Eptesicus fuscus (Chiroptera). Canadian Journal of Zoology 63, 2969–78.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mayr, E. (1984). Evolution of fish species flocks. In Evolution of Fish Species Flocks (ed. Echelle, A. A. & Kornfield, I.) pp. 311. Orono, Maine: University of Maine at Orono Press.Google Scholar
Petter, A. J. (1966). Équilibre des espèces dans les populations de nématodes parasites du côlon des tortues terrestres. Mémoires de la Muséum National d'histoire Naturelle (Zoologie) 39, 1252.Google Scholar
Pojmanska, T., Grabda–Kazubska, B., Kazabski, S. L., Machalska, J. & Niewiadomska, K. (1980). Parasite fauna of five fish species from the Konin Lake complex, artificially heated with thermal effluents, and from Golno Lake. Acta Parasitologica Polonica 27, 319–57.Google Scholar
Rohde, K. (1979). A critical evaluation of intrinsic and extrinsic factors responsible for Niche Restriction in Parasites. American Naturalist 114, 648–71.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rohde, K. (1989). Simple ecological systems, simple solutions to complex problems? Evolutionary Theory 8, 305–50.Google Scholar
Schad, G. A. (1963). Niche diversification in a parasite species flock. Nature, London 198, 404–6.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thapar, G. S. (1925). On some new members of the genus Kiluma from the African rhinoceros. Journal of Helminthology 3, 6380.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Williams, H. H. (1988). The taxonomy, ecology and host specificity of some Phyllobothriidae (Cestoda: Tetraphyllidea), a critical revision of Phyllobothrium Beneden, 1849 and comments on some allied genera. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B 253, 231307.Google Scholar
Arundel, J. H., Beveridge, I. & Presidente, P. J. (1979). Parasites and pathological findings in enclosed and free-ranging populations of Macropus rufus (Demarest) (Marsupialia) at Menindee, New South Wales. Australian Wildlife Research 6, 361–79.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Beveridge, I. (1981). Discussions. In Second Symposium on Host Specificity Among Parasites of Vertebrates. Mémoires du Muséum National d'histoire Naturelle, Série A, Zoologie 123, 92.Google Scholar
Beveridge, I. & Arundel, J. H. (1979). Helminth parasites of grey kangaroos, Macropus giganteus Shaw and M. fuliginosus (Desmarest), in eastern Australia. Australian Wildlife Research 6, 6977.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Beveridge, I., Presidente, P. J. & Speare, R. (1985). Parasites and associated pathology of the swamp wallaby, Wallabia bicolor (Marsupialia). Journal of Wildlife Diseases 21, 377–85.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Johnston, T. H. & Mawson, P. M. (1938). Strongyle nematodes from central Australian kangaroos and wallabies. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia 62, 263–86.Google Scholar
Johnston, T. H. & Mawson, P. M. (1939). Strongyle nematodes from Queensland marsupials. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia 63, 121–48.Google Scholar
Johnston, T. H. & Mawson, P. M. (1939). Strongylate nematodes from marsupials in New South Wales. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 44, 513–36.Google Scholar
Johnston, T. H. & Mawson, P. M. (1940). Nematodes from south Australian marsupials. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia 64, 95100.Google Scholar
Speare, R., Beveridge, I., Johnston, P. M. & Corner, L. A. (1983). Parasites of the agile wallaby, Macropus agilis (Marsupialia). Australian Wildlife Research 10, 8996.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Barus, V. (1962). Dalsí poznatky o helmitofaune kone Prevalského (Equus przewalskii Poliakow, 1881). Zoologické Listy Ceskoslovenská Akademie Ved Zoologii 11, 380–1.Google Scholar
Barus, V. (1963). Parasitische Würmer der Pferde in der Tschechoslowakei. Helminthologia 4, 5966.Google Scholar
Costa, A. J., Machado, R. Z. & Kasai, N. (1979). Lista de helmintos parasitos de animais domésticos da sub-regiao de Jaboticabal, estado de Sao Paulo, Brasil. Cientifica 7, 277–.Google Scholar
Foster, A. O. & Alicata, J. E. (1939). Notes on parasites of horses in Hawaii. Proceedings of the Helminthological Society of Washington 6, 48.Google Scholar
Foster, A. O. & Habermann, R. T. (1940). Endoparasites of aged horses and mules at the Beltsville Research Center of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Proceedings of the Helminthological Society of Washington 7, 85–7.Google Scholar
Graber, M. (1970). Helminthes et helminthiases des équidés (ânes et chevaux) de la république du Tchad. Revue d'elevage et de Médicine Vetérinaire des Pays Tropicaux 23, 207–22.Google Scholar
Graber, M., Blanc, P. & Delaenay, R. (1980). Helminthes des animaux sauvages d'ethiopie. I. Manniferes. Revue d'elevage et de Médicine Vetérinaire des Pays Tropicaux 33, 143–58.Google Scholar
Krecek, R. C., Reinecke, R. K. & Horak, I. G. (1989). Internal parasites of horses on mixed grassveld and bushveld in Transvaal, Republic of South Africa. Veterinary Parasitology 34, 135–43.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Krecek, R. C., Reinecke, R. K. & Malan, F. S. (1987). Studies on the parasites of Zebras, v. Nematodes of the Burchell's and Hartmann's Mountain Zebras from the Etosha National Park, South West Africa/Namibia. Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research 54, 71–8.Google ScholarPubMed
Mfitilodze, M. W. & Hutchinson, G. W. (1985). The site distribution of adult strongyle parasites in the large intestines of horses in tropical Australia. International Journal for Parasitology 15, 313–19.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pecheur, M., Detry–Pouplard, M., Gerin, G. & Tinar, R. (1979). Les helminthes parasites due système digestif de poneys abattus en Belgique. Annales de Médicine Vétérinaire 123, 103–8.Google Scholar
Oberg, C., Dίaz, L. & Valenzuela, G. (1974). Parásitos identificados en bovinos, ovinos, suinos y equinos en el Laboratorio de Enfermedades Parasitarias de la Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria de la Universidad Austral de Chile, 1963–1973. Boletin Chileno de Parasitologia Santiago de Chile 29, 99102.Google Scholar
Oppong, E. N. W. (1979). Diseases of horses and donkeys in Ghana 1909–1975. Bulletin of Animal Health Production in Africa 27, 47–9.Google Scholar
Reinemeyer, R. C., Smith, S. A., Gabel, A. A. & Herd, R. P. (1984). The prevalence and intensity of internal parasites of horses in U.S.A. Veterinary Parasitology 15, 7583.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Round, M. C. (1962). The helminth parasites of domesticated animals in Kenya. Journal of Helminthology 36, 375449.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Scialdo–Krecek, R. C. (1983). Studies on the Parasites of Zebras a. Nematodes of the Burchell's Zebra in the Kruger National Park. Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research 50, 111–14.Google ScholarPubMed
Smith, F. R. & Threlfall, W. (1973). Helminths of some mammals from Newfoundland. American Midland Naturalist 90, 215–18.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sultanov, M. A., Azimov, A., Muminov, P. A., Zimin, Y. M., Ismanlov, T. I. & Dadaev, S. (1974). O gelmintakh loshadei Uzbekestana. Doklady Akademii Nauk Uzbekestan SSR 6, 57–9.Google Scholar
Tagle, I. (1966). Parásitos de los animales domésticos en Chile. Boletin Chileno de Parasitologia Santiago de Chile 21, 118–23.Google Scholar
Tolliver, S. C., Tyons, E. T. & Drudge, J. H. (1985). Species of small strongyles and other internal parasites recovered from donkeys at necropsy in Kentucky. Proceedings of the Helminthological Society of Washington 52, 260–5.Google Scholar
Torbert, B. J., Klei, T. R., Lichtenfels, J. R. & Chapman, M. R. (1986). A survey in Louisiana of intestinal helminths of ponies with little exposure to anthelmintics. Journal of Parasitology 72, 926–30.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Vercruysse, J., Harris, E. A., Kaboret, Y. Y., Pangui, L. J. & Gibson, D. I. (1986). Gastro-intestinal helminths of donkeys in Burkina Faso. Zeitschrift für Parasitenkunde 72, 821–5.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed