Helminths Infecting Sympatric Congeneric Treefrogs in Northeastern Brazil

Area of Science:

• Zoology
• Parasitology
• Herpetology

Background:

• Amphibians host a variety of parasites, but knowledge of helminth fauna in Neotropical anurans remains incomplete.
• The treefrog genera Boana multifasciata and Boana raniceps are sympatric in northeastern Brazil.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the helminth fauna of Boana multifasciata and Boana raniceps.
• To investigate the relationship between host body size and helminthological descriptors (abundance, richness, composition).
• To compare helminth composition between these two congeneric treefrog species.

Main Methods:

• Anurans were collected during the rainy season using visual and auditory surveys.
• Parasites were identified from external and internal examination of the hosts.
• Linear mixed-effects models assessed the influence of host body size on helminth abundance and richness.
• ANOSIM R test compared helminth community composition between host species.

Main Results:

• 37 anurans were analyzed, with 89.1% infected by at least one helminth.
• 12 helminth taxa were identified, with three common to both host species.
• Several new helminth records were found for B. multifasciata and B. raniceps, including Cosmocerca paraguayensis in Brazil.
• No support was found for larger frogs having higher helminth abundance or richness.
• Helminth composition was similar between the sympatric Boana species.

Conclusions:

• Significant gaps exist in the understanding of amphibian helminth fauna, even for widespread species like Boana spp.
• Further research is needed to elucidate host-parasite relationships in Neotropical amphibians.