Abstract

BASTO, NATALIA et al. HAEMATOZOA IN BIRDS FROM LA MACARENA NATIONAL NATURAL PARK (COLOMBIA). Caldasia [online]. 2006, vol.28, n.2, pp.371-377. ISSN 0366-5232.

Birds from 69 species in 25 families were collected from La Macarena National Natural Park in Colombia between June and November 2000 and examined for haematozoa. Eighty-two of the 342 birds (24%) were positive for one or more taxon. Microfilariae were the most commonly seen parasites (10.5%) and Leucocytozoon the least common (0.3%). Other parasites were species of the genera Plasmodium (4.4%), Trypanosoma (3.5%), Hepatozoon (3.5%) and Haemoproteus (3.2%). The low intensity of haemosporidian parasites agreed with other records from the Neotropics. Parasite prevalence in this Neotropical region was higher than levels found in other surveys in the Neotropics, but lower than levels found for the Nearctic area. A new host-parasite association is reported here, as well as avian species examined for haematozoa for the first time.

Keywords : Birds; Colombia; haematozoa; haemoparasite; infection; Neotropics; prevalence.

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