Bot fly parasitism in mantled howler monkeys (Alouatta palliata): General patterns and climate influences

• Published in: American journal of primatology 2024-11, Vol.86 (11), p.e23680-n/a
• Main Authors: Ortíz‐Zárate, Ricardo J., Rangel‐Negrín, Ariadna, Coyohua‐Fuentes, Alejandro, Ibáñez‐Bernal, Sergio, Cristóbal‐Azkarate, Jurgi, Dias, Pedro A. D.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alouatta palliata; Ambient temperature; Climate change; Climate prediction; climate windows; Cuterebra; Environmental aspects; Environmental factors; host‐parasite dynamics; Infections; Information systems; Larvae; Los Tuxtlas; Monkeys; Myiasis; Nodules; oestrids; Parasites; Parasitic diseases; Parasitism; Population studies; Primates; Rainfall; Temporal variations; Tracking
• ISSN: 0275-2565; 1098-2345; 1098-2345
• DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23680

Parasitism is a strong selective pressure, and its study is crucial for predicting the persistence of host species. Mantled howler monkeys are infected by the larvae of the bot fly Cuterebra baeri. This parasitosis produces myiasis and may have negative impacts on host health, although systematic information on the dynamics of this host‐parasite relationship is very limited. Currently, all available information on infection patterns of C. baeri comes from a single mantled howler monkey population (Barro Colorado Island, Panama). Therefore, in this study we describe temporal variation in infection patterns for a newly mantled howler monkey population and analyze the relationship between climate and infection likelihood. We assessed the presence of C. baeri nodules in 17 adult individuals in Los Tuxtlas for 10 months through direct observation and compiled data on ambient temperature and rainfall. Most subjects had nodules during the study and there were no differences between sexes in the number of nodules. Nodules were usually located in the neck. Prevalence and abundance of nodules peaked thrice during the study (February, April, and September), a pattern that was very similar to that of parasitism intensity (February, April, and August). Incidence closely tracked these peaks, increasing before and decreasing after them. The likelihood of nodule appearance increased when both mean and minimum temperature decreased in the 24–21 prior days to nodule appearance. It also increased with decreased rainfall in the 5–2 prior days to nodule appearance. Although only three of the eight analyzed climate variables had a significant effect on parasitosis, these results suggest that climate may affect pupal development and the access of larvae to hosts. Besides contributing data on C. baeri parasitism for a new mantled howler monkey population, our study provides novel information on the influence of environmental factors on the dynamics of host‐parasite systems. Infection of mantled howlers by bot flies increases with decreasing ambient temperature during the pupal stage and with decreasing rainfall during the larval stage of the parasite. Research highlights Most mantled howler monkeys were parasitized by the bot fly Cuterebra baeri. Prevalence, abundance, and intensity of bot fly nodules peaked thrice during the study, with parasitism incidence closely tracking these peaks (increasing before and decreasing after them) The likelihood of infection increased with decre