Indicador de salud: parásitos haemosporidios en la comunidad de aves del bosque seco tropical

Abstract

CONDITION FOR PUBLICATION OF PROJECT. Avian haemosporidian parasites (Order: Haemosporidia) are the causal organisms for avian malaria and other diseases that affect birds worldwide. Research on this topic has not been conducted in the dry deciduous forest, a globally endangered ecosystem, and the avifauna present in them. Sampling via mist netting was conducted during 2024 to obtain morphology data and blood samples for further evaluation by microscopy and molecular biology methods of birds captured in three deciduous dry forests in Ecuador. Analysis revealed infection by parasites on bird species without records of parasite transmission: Black-capped Sparrow - Arremon abeillei, Gray-and-gold warbler - Myiothlypis fraseri and Streaked saltator - Saltator striatipectus. Statistical testing showed no differences in body condition between infected and non-infected individuals of two groups of captured species. Results also showed infection by non-haemosporidian blood parasites on two species with no previous record of blood parasite infection. This research contributes new parasite observations on birds from the deciduous dry forests, a region where parasitology studies involving microscopy and molecular biology methods are scarce. Keywords: Haemosporidians, blood parasites, deciduous dry forests, avian malaria