Plasmodium Infections in Natural Populations of Anolis sagrei Reflect Tolerance Rather Than Susceptibility.

ABSTRACT:

Synopsis

Parasites can represent formidable selection pressures for hosts, but the cost of infection is sometimes difficult to demonstrate in natural populations. While parasite exploitation strategies may, in some instances, actually inflict low costs on their hosts, the response of hosts to infection is also likely to determine whether or not these costs can be detected. Indeed, costs of infection may be obscured if infected individuals in the wild are those that are the most tolerant, rather than the most susceptible, to infection. Here we test this hypothesis in two natural populations of Anolis sagrei, one of the most common anole lizard of the Bahamas. Plasmodium parasites were detected in > 7% of individuals and belonged to two distinct clades: P. mexicanum and P. floriensis

SUBMITTER: Bonneaud C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5886326 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature