Explaining Variation in Abundance and Species Diversity of Avian Cestodes in Brine Shrimps in the Salar de Atacama and Other Chilean Wetlands

Further biogeographical studies of parasites are vital to improve our understanding biodiversity distribution and predict the impacts global change. Hypersaline lakes good laboratories investigate avian cestode abundance species diversity given hosts (waterbirds Artemia) their broad latitudinal distribution. We analysed infection in brine shrimp Artemia franciscana northern (Atacama) central Chile compared them results from A. persimilis southern (Patagonia). Thus, we covered a gradient 23° 53° S. Five taxa including two genus Flamingolepis, Gynandrotaenia stammeri, Eurycestus avoceti, Fuhrmannolepis averini were recorded Atacama lagoons (prevalence = 4.1%). In contrast, no was detected Chile, likely because they temporary wetlands. Parasites flamingos shorebirds associated with (arid higher salinity), while Confluaria podicipina Fimbriarioides sp. (parasites grebes ducks, respectively) dominant Patagonian (sub-antarctic lower salinity). These differences mirror changes relative respective final hosts. The flamingo parasite Flamingolepis 1 most prevalent abundant Atacama, where it only autumn. Seasonality habitat effects (especially phenology different bird species) appear override any trends prevalence, diversity, cestodes. Cestode prevalence larger wetlands but not related sex either intermediate host. greater taxonomic richness at family level dominance single (the flamingos). Ours is first spatio–temporal study cestodes local regional scales hemisphere.