How to translate text using browser tools
7 June 2016 Biodiversity of parasite assemblages in the genus Petrogale and its relation to the phylogeny and biogeography of their hosts
Elke T. Vermeulen, Michelle L. Power, David A. Nipperess, Ian Beveridge, Mark D. B. Eldridge
Author Affiliations +
Abstract

Parasites form an integral part of overall biodiversity although they are often overlooked in conservation management, where emphasis is primarily directed towards the host. Parasites are often highly specialised to particular hosts, and thus may be just as threatened as the host they inhabit. For many of Australia’s wildlife species, little is known about their associated parasite communities. To begin to address this knowledge gap, we documented the parasite fauna described in the genetically diverse marsupial genus Petrogale, which contains seven species of conservation concern. The literature evaluation showed parasites of Petrogale to be highly diverse, with 17 species of protozoa, 8 species of cestodes, 102 species of nematodes and 30 species of ectoparasites identified in 16 of 17 Petrogale host species. A comparison of the parasite communities amongst Petrogale host species indicated a highly significant correlation between the parasite community similarity, and the phylogeny (P = 0.008) and biogeography (P = 0.0001) of their Petrogale hosts, suggesting high host specificity within their associated parasite assemblages. Five Petrogale species have established species recovery programs and their parasite communities should also be considered threatened, and management of parasite diversity required as part of these conservation programs.

© CSIRO 2016
Elke T. Vermeulen, Michelle L. Power, David A. Nipperess, Ian Beveridge, and Mark D. B. Eldridge "Biodiversity of parasite assemblages in the genus Petrogale and its relation to the phylogeny and biogeography of their hosts," Australian Journal of Zoology 64(1), 61-80, (7 June 2016). https://doi.org/10.1071/ZO16023
Received: 29 March 2016; Accepted: 1 May 2016; Published: 7 June 2016
KEYWORDS
conservation genetics
parasitology
population dynamics
RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS
Get copyright permission
Back to Top