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The effect of habitat on the helminth parasites of an island population of the Polynesian rat (Rattus exulans)
Author(s) -
Roberts M.,
Rodrigo A.,
McArdle B.,
Charleston W. A. G.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
journal of zoology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.915
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1469-7998
pISSN - 0952-8369
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-7998.1992.tb04348.x
Subject(s) - biology , ecology , abundance (ecology) , capillaria , habitat , population , helminths , zoology , population density , demography , sociology
Differences in helminth faunal composition, distribution and abundance were studied in three habitats on an island on which the Polynesian rat, Rattus exulans (Peale), is the only rodent present. The effects of season and of host age and sex were also included in the analysis. Habitat had a statistically significant effect on the prevalence and/or abundance of all seven parasites included in this study. Season influenced four species (Brachylaima apoplania, Capillaria sp., Heterakis spumosa and Mastophorus muris) but had little or no detectable effect on the remaining three (Capillaria hepatica, Hymenolepis diminuta and Syphacia muris) . Of the two intrinsic variables, age but not sex was found to have an effect. A comparison of the effects of each variable on parasite prevalence confirmed that habitat was the most important of the four variables. In a prior study on the influence of habitat on host population dynamics on this island, between‐habitat differences were shown to include adult longevity, total population density and the seasonal availability and abundance of various food types. These factors, together with physical differences in the microhabitat and the parasite's life cycle, help to provide explanations for the observed results.