Parasite-Driven host manipulation: The case of trematodes in Neotropical tadpoles.

ABSTRACT: Parasites can impact tadpole survival in both lethal and sublethal ways. Sublethal effects include alterations in morphology and behavior, reduced competitive ability, and increased vulnerability to predation, while lethal effects result in direct mortality. These impacts can have significant consequences at both individual and population levels, especially given that amphibians host various parasites and pathogens, which may contribute to population declines. This study investigated the influence of digenetic trematodes, specifically Lophosicyadiplostomum sp. and Echinostomatidae metacercariae - larval stages found in second intermediate hosts, on the development and behavior of Physalaemus cuvieri tadpoles. Behavioral experiments assessed tadpole activity (time and movement

SUBMITTER: Rosa PM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11646738 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature