SMOLINSKÝ, Radovan, Zuzana HIADLOVSKA and Natália MARTÍNKOVÁ. Ectoparasite load increase in reproductively active sand lizards. Journal of Vertebrate Biology. BRNO: Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, 2021, vol. 70, No 2, p. 1-9. ISSN 2694-7684. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.25225/jvb.20128.
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Basic information
Original name Ectoparasite load increase in reproductively active sand lizards
Authors SMOLINSKÝ, Radovan (703 Slovakia, belonging to the institution), Zuzana HIADLOVSKA (203 Czech Republic) and Natália MARTÍNKOVÁ (703 Slovakia, guarantor, belonging to the institution).
Edition Journal of Vertebrate Biology, BRNO, Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, 2021, 2694-7684.
Other information
Original language English
Type of outcome Article in a journal
Field of Study 10613 Zoology
Country of publisher Czech Republic
Confidentiality degree is not subject to a state or trade secret
WWW URL
Impact factor Impact factor: 1.460
RIV identification code RIV/00216224:14310/21:00121249
Organization unit Faculty of Science
Doi http://dx.doi.org/10.25225/jvb.20128
UT WoS 000640645200002
Keywords in English host-parasite interaction; parasite exposure; sexual behaviour; tick; Ixodes; Lacerta; reptile
Tags rivok
Tags International impact, Reviewed
Changed by Changed by: Dana Nesnídalová, učo 831. Changed: 14/1/2022 09:11.
Abstract
Sexual reproduction imposes risks on participating adults through increased probability of injury, predation pressure, or parasite exposure. Evolutionary theory predicts that animals will tolerate parasite infection during reproduction at the expense of increased parasite load, resulting in individual trade-offs between the temporary costs of current reproduction against the long-term evolutionary benefits in the form of life-long production of viable offspring. We tested this hypothesis, predicting that participation in sexual reproduction increases parasite exposure by investigating ectoparasite load on sand lizards (Lacerta agilis). Using generalized additive models to correct for bimodal seasonal dynamics of ectoparasite activity, site and year, we found that ectoparasite load is higher in adults (animals that overwintered at least twice) than in subadults that overwintered once only. Between sexes of adult sand lizards, males had a higher number of blood-sucking ectoparasites than females. Our results indicate that both sexually-motivated extensive locomotion associated with territory defence and mate search in males, and increased energy uptake during gestation in females, contribute to elevated ectoparasite exposure. Increased host mobility associated with increased ectoparasite exposure leads to collateral burden of reproduction on sand lizard populations.
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