02021nas a2200205   4500008004100000022002500041245013400066210006900200260001600269300001000285490000700295520132300302653000801625653002701633100002001660700002001680700001701700700003001717856006801747       2022                        eng d  a1678-2690, 0001-376500aEffect of host age, sex and life stage on the prevalence and abundance of sucking lice on Weddell seal in the Antarctic Peninsula0 aEffect of host age sex and life stage on the prevalence and abun  cJan-01-2022  a10 pp0 v943 a<p>Through evolutionary time, seal lice have developed morphological, behavioral, and ecological adaptations to cope with the amphibious lifestyle of their hosts in a co-evolutionary process. Consequently, the dynamics of lice populations are determined by seals behavior. We aim to study the effects of host sex, age class, year, and sampling location, on the prevalence and mean abundance of Antarctophthirus carlinii, on Weddell seals (WS) Leptonychotes wedelli. The study was conducted at two sites in the Antarctic Peninsula, namely, Marambio/Seymour Island (MI) and the Danco Coast (DC). We collected lice from 71 WS: 33 from MI, during the reproductive season, and 38 from DC, during the molting season, between 2014 and 2017. According to our analyses, host age class and sex were the variables that affected prevalence levels of lice on WS. Whereas, age class, year, site, and sex affected lice mean abundance. Juveniles presented higher prevalence and mean abundance than adults, possibly acting as reservoirs for lice as they move through different colonies until they reach reproductive age. Concurrently, seals during molting season were more infested. Unlike nursing, during the molting season seals spend much time ashore forming mixed groups that favor both egg development and lice transmission.</p>
10aGLM10aInfestation parameters1 aSoto, Florencia1 aNegrete, Javier1 aKlaich, M.J.1 aLeonardi, María, Soledad  uhttps://www.scielo.br/j/aabc/a/yMB9Lg9pp9yRFGvtbTSQGBP/?lang=en02356nas a2200229   4500008004100000022001400041245008300055210006900138260001300207520166900220653001501889653002001904653000801924653001901932653001501951653001701966100002001983700001702003700002002020700003002040856005602070       2020                        eng d  a0932-011300aSo happy together: juvenile crabeater seal behavior improves lice transmission0 aSo happy together juvenile crabeater seal behavior improves lice  cMay 20203 a<p>Lice from family Echinophthiriidae are of the few insects that have successfully colonized marine environment living as ectoparasites of pinnipeds, i.e., sea lions, seals, and the walrus. They have developed unique adaptations to cope with the amphibious lifestyle of their hosts. Because eggs do not survive underwater, lice could only reproduce when their host remains on pack ice enough time. Consequently, lice generations per year are limited by host haul-out behavior. The objective of this work is to study the effect of host sex and age class, and the annual variation on the prevalence and mean abundance of Antarctophthirus lobodontis in crabeater seals from the Antarctic Peninsula. During three consecutive field-seasons, we collected lice from 41 crabeater seals (23 females, 16males, 2 indeterminate, being 24 adults, and 17 juveniles). We investigated this effect on the prevalence and mean abundance by a generalized linear model formulation in a Bayesian framework. According to the lowest Deviance Index Criterion model, sex host does not affect prevalence normean abundance.We found that juveniles present greater abundance and prevalence than adults, possibly due to foraging habits. They spent more time on the ice than adults in groups of dozens of animals. This behavior would favor both egg development and lice transmission. We do not find adult females with lice, which suggests that transmission of A. lobodontis should be horizontal. The high mean abundance of lice in 2014 could be associated with an unusual increase in Lobodon carcinophaga population, probably related to the pack-ice availability and zooplankton abundance.</p>
10aantarctica10aCrabeater seals10aGLM10aMean abundance10aPrevalence10asucking lice1 aSoto, Florencia1 aKlaich, M.J.1 aNegrete, Javier1 aLeonardi, María, Soledad  uhttp://link.springer.com/10.1007/s00436-020-06704-5