Prevalência, abundância e intensidade de infestação (Hirudínea : Glossiphoniidae) em Mesoclemmys vanderhaegei (Testudines : Chelidae) em corpos d’água oligotróficos na região Centro-Oeste do Brasil

Abstract

Leeches are hematophagous ectoparasites that parasitize a wide variety of vertebrates, including aquatic chelonians. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence, abundance, and mean infestation intensity patterns of leeches in chelonians of the species Mesoclemmys vanderhaegei in the Midwest region of Brazil. We sampled oligotrophic water bodies in two Conservation Units and their surroundings, the Chapada dos Guimarães National Park (PNCG) and the Serra das Araras Ecological Station (EESA). Our results show that chelonian size did not affect leech abundance and sex was not an important factor in explaining the variation in prevalence. However, we found that population density of Mesoclemmys vanderhaegei did affect leech density and prevalence. In addition, the environment and the posterior body region (front legs;hind legs;tail) of chelonians have significant effect on parasite prevalence. We suggest that the high prevalence rates and intensity of leech infestation is possibly due to host density and environmental factors. These parasites, possibly vectors of Sauroplasma sp. and Haemogregarina sp, can cause infections and anemia, harming their host. This can lead to decreased fitness, reproductive rate, and immune response in chelonians. Mesoclemmys vanderhaegei are important animal groups within the ecosystem, so understanding the fundamentals of this parasite-host interaction can help in the conservation of the species.