Intraspecific Competition Promotes Oviposition During Host Egg Incubation in the Parasitic Fly Philornis downsi [PDF]
Ecology and EvolutionAvian biodiversity declines are increasingly linked to invasive parasites threatening local bird populations that lack evolved defenses. The level of virulence in these interactions, in turn, influences the parasites' own fitness and drives co ...
Barbara Kofler +2 more
exaly +4 more sources
Epigenetic effects of parasites and pesticides on captive and wild nestling birds [PDF]
Ecology and Evolution, 2021 Anthropogenic changes to the environment challenge animal populations to adapt to new conditions and unique threats. While the study of adaptation has focused on genetic variation, epigenetic mechanisms may also be important. DNA methylation is sensitive
Sabrina M. McNew +7 more
doaj +3 more sources
Trypanosomatids Detected in the Invasive Avian Parasite Philornis downsi (Diptera: Muscidae) in the Galapagos Islands [PDF]
Insects, 2020 Alien insect species may present a multifaceted threat to ecosystems into which they are introduced. In addition to the direct damage they may cause, they may also bring novel diseases and parasites and/or have the capacity to vector microorganisms that ...
Courtney L. Pike +3 more
doaj +2 more sources
Persistence of the invasive bird-parasitic fly Philornis downsi over the host interbreeding period in the Galapagos Islands [PDF]
Scientific Reports, 2022 Many parasites of seasonally available hosts must persist through times of the year when hosts are unavailable. In tropical environments, host availability is often linked to rainfall, and adaptations of parasites to dry periods remain understudied.
Mariana Bulgarella +12 more
doaj +2 more sources
Avian vampire fly (Philornis downsi) mortality differs across Darwin’s finch host species [PDF]
Scientific Reports, 2021 In invasive parasites, generalism is considered advantageous during the initial phase of introduction. Thereafter, fitness costs to parasites, such as host-specific mortality, can drive parasites towards specialism to avoid costly hosts.
Lauren K. Common +4 more
doaj +2 more sources
Evidence for rapid downward fecundity selection in an ectoparasite (Philornis downsi) with earlier host mortality in Darwin's finches. [PDF]
J Evol Biol, 2020 Frontal view of a female Philornis downsi, a myasis‐causing paraiste of Darwin's finches, whose body size, abdomen size, and fecundity have decreased c. 30% across 12 years as nestling hosts die at an ever younger age. Photo by Bradley Sinclair. Abstract Fecundity selection is a critical component of fitness and a major driver of adaptive evolution ...
Common LK +4 more
europepmc +2 more sources
Genetic variation in the invasive avian parasite,
BMC Ecology, 2008 Background Understanding the dispersal and genetic structure of invasive insects across islands is important for designing management plans that are appropriate at spatial and temporal scales.
Donnellan Steve +3 more
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Population dynamics of an invasive bird parasite, Philornis downsi (Diptera: Muscidae), in the Galapagos Islands. [PDF]
PLoS ONE, 2019 The invasive parasitic fly, Philornis downsi (Muscidae), is one of the greatest threats to the avifauna of the Galapagos Islands. The larvae of this fly feed on the blood and tissues of developing nestlings of at least 18 endemic and native birds.
Charlotte E Causton +7 more
doaj +2 more sources
Parental care in the Small Tree Finch Camarhynchus parvulus in relation to parasitism and environmental factors. [PDF]
Ibis (Lond 1859), 2021 The parental food compensation hypothesis suggests that parents may compensate for the negative effects of parasites on chicks by increased food provisioning. However, this ability differs widely among host species and may also depend on ecological factors such as adverse weather conditions and habitat quality.
Heyer E, Cimadom A, Wappl C, Tebbich S.
europepmc +2 more sources
Relationships among introduced parasites, host defenses, and gut microbiota of Galapagos birds
Ecosphere, 2018 Parasites can cause significant damage to their hosts. Hosts can reduce the damage that parasites cause by either resisting parasites (e.g., with an immune response) or tolerating parasites (e.g., with energy compensation). Recent work suggests that host‐
Sarah A. Knutie
doaj +2 more sources