Tick parasitism is associated with home range area in the sand lizard, Lacerta agilis

Author:

Wieczorek Magdalena1,Rektor Robert2,Najbar Bartłomiej1,Morelli Federico13

Affiliation:

1. 1Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Zielona Góra, Prof. Z. Szafrana 1, 65-516 Zielona Góra, Poland

2. 2Kepler’s Science Centre-Nature Centre in Zielona Góra, Gen. J. Dąbrowskiego 14, 65-021 Zielona Góra, Poland

3. 3Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Department of Applied Geoinformatics and Spatial Planning, Kamýcká 129, CZ-165 00 Prague 6, Czech Republic

Abstract

Abstract The sand lizard (Lacerta agilis) is a common species in Europe that inhabits a wide range of habitats, including anthropogenic environments. It is a frequent carrier of common ticks (Ixodes ricinus), which poses a severe threat to the lizards’ health. We determined the living space used by lizards in a rapidly changing environment and ascertained the number of parasitic ticks found throughout the reptile’s active season. We conducted telemetry research on a dynamically developing housing estate located on the outskirts of the city of Zielona Góra (western Poland) in 2016-2017. We obtained data from 16 adult lizards, from which we collected 2529 ticks. Using generalized linear models (GLMs), we determined the relationships among the number of transmitted parasites, size of occupied areas (minimum convex polygon, MCP), the weight of lizards, and sex of lizards. Results indicated that the number of ticks was negatively correlated with lizard body mass, but positively correlated with home range. Sex was not significantly associated with the number of ticks. Additionally, the parasite load was lower during the lizard’s non-breeding season than during the breeding season and was lower for males than for females during the non-breeding season. Males have larger home ranges than females.

Publisher

Brill

Subject

Animal Science and Zoology,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics

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