G. Sorci, PATTERNS OF HEMOGREGARINE LOAD, AGGREGATION AND PREVALENCE AS A FUNCTION OF HOST AGE IN THE LIZARD LACERTA-VIVIPARA, The Journal of parasitology, 82(4), 1996, pp. 676-678
Patterns of haemogregarine load, aggregation, and prevalence as a func
tion of host age in the lizard Lacerta vivipara were investigated. The
se parameters may provide evidence for the potential effect of parasit
es on host survival. The predictions of theoretical models concerning
the shape of parasite load, parasite aggregation, and parasite prevale
nce across host age were used to test if parasites are a significant s
ource of host mortality. Both age-intensity and age-aggregation curves
were found to be peaked, whereas the age-prevalence curve increased w
ith host age, reaching high levels (>80% of infected hosts). These fin
dings of humped age-aggregation and age-intensity curves are in good a
greement with the predictions of the Anderson and Gordon (1982) model
and suggest that haemogregarines may influence age-dependent host mort
ality in this population of L. vivipara.