English (United Kingdom)

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/featured_content/oa?rat=en

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/highlighted_journal/

Global: Zendy Tools annual

Presents the keyphrase highlighting as premium feature

Keyphrase Highlighting

Presents the summarisation as premium feature

Summarisation

Insights

Presents the pdf analysis as premium feature

PDF Analysis

Presents the zaia usage as premium feature

ZAIA

Global: Zendy Tools monthly

Global: Zendy Plus monthly

Presents the access of premium content as premium feature

Premium Content

Global: Zendy Plus annual

Global: Zendy Free Plan

The taxonomically diverse and relatively understudied avifauna of Papua New Guinea’s (PNG) island archipelagos provide a unique ecological framework for studying haemosporidian parasite differentiation and geographic structure. We implemented molecular and phylogenetic analyses of partial mitochondrial DNA sequences to assess the host distribution of 3 genera of vector-transmitted avian blood parasites ( Plasmodium ,  Leucocytozoon  and  Haemoproteus ) across a range of islands off the southeastern tip of PNG. We identified 40 new lineages of haemosporidians, including five lineages belonging to  Leucocytozoon , a genus not previously described in this region.  Leucocytozoon  infections were only observed on the larger, human-inhabited islands. Lineages belonging to  Haemoproteus  were diverse and had broad geographic distribution. Compared to the mainland,  Haemoproteus  parasites on the smaller, more distant islands had greater host specificity and lower infection prevalence. The black sunbird ( Leptocoma aspasia ), a commonly caught species, was shown to be a rare host for  Haemoproteus  spp. infections. Moreover, although birds of the genus  Pitohui  harbor a neurotoxin (homobatrachotoxin), they demonstrated an infection prevalence comparable to other bird species. The islands of PNG display heterogeneous patterns of haemosporidian diversity, distribution and host-specificity and serve as a valuable model system for studying host-parasite-vector interactions.

Prevalence and diversity of avian haemosporidian parasites across islands of Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea