Caracterização morfológica e molecular de Haemoproteus paramultipigmentatus (Apicomplexa: Haemosporida: Haemoproteidae) em aves Columbiformes na Mata Atlântica, Brasil

Abstract

The aim of this study was to realize a multidisciplinary characterization of Haemoproteus (Haemoproteus) paramultipigmentatus and to evaluate the prevalence of Haemoproteus spp. in Columbiform birds, collected in Atlantic Forest, Zona da Mata, Minas Gerais. This, is the first record of this species in Brazil and in the Columbiformes species, Leptotila verreauxi and Columbina talpacoti. Some characteristics morphological and morphometric differed from the original description, such as: the area of the nucleus in erythrocyte parasitized by macrogametocytes, gametocytes touching envelope and erythrocyte nucleus at the same time, microgametocytes area and the presence of vacuoles in young gametocytes. H. paramultipigmentatus lineages obtained in this study, were grouped in a monophyletic clade, with a high support value (98 / 1.0), containing other lineages of this species, obtained in previous studies. Among the 76 birds analyzed (63 C. talpacoti, 13 L. verreauxi), 48 were parasitized by Haemoproteus spp. (Total prevalence 63.15%). Of these, 26 were parasitized by H. paramultipigmentatus (prevalence of 34.21%). It was also estimated, for the first time, data on prevalence, parasitemia and aggregation of Haemoproteus paramultipigmentatus, during 24 months. These data were carried out in the dry and rainy seasons. The prevalence in the period of dry is smaller (24.32%) than in the rainy (40,47%). The aggregation index in dry (0.821) was higher than that registered in rainy (0.762). This study presents new data on host, morphology, molecular biology, phylogeny, and ecology for an H. paramultipigmentatus population found in the Atlantic Forest and emphasizes the importance of multidisciplinary characterizations to know the diversity of avian hemosporids.