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The importance of host spatial distribution for parasite specialization and speciation: a comparative study of bird fleas (Siphonaptera: Ceratophyllidae)

  1. Frédéric Tripet1,*,
  2. Philippe Christe2,
  3. Anders Pape Møller3

Article first published online: 6 SEP 2002

DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2656.2002.00639.x

Issue

Journal of Animal Ecology

Journal of Animal Ecology

Volume 71, Issue 5, pages 735–748, September 2002

Additional Information

How to Cite

Tripet, F., Christe, P. and Møller, A. P. (2002), The importance of host spatial distribution for parasite specialization and speciation: a comparative study of bird fleas (Siphonaptera: Ceratophyllidae). Journal of Animal Ecology, 71: 735–748. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2656.2002.00639.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Division of Evolutionary Ecology, University of Bern, Ethologische Station Hasli, CH-3032 Hinterkappelen, Switzerland;

  2. 2

    Institut de Zoologie et Ecologie Animale, Université de Lausanne, Bât. de Biologie, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland; and

  3. 3

    Laboratoire d’Ecologie CNRS UMR 7625, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Bât. A. 7ème Etage, 7 Quai St Bernard, Case 237, F-75252 Paris Cedex 05, France

* § Present address and correspondence: Vector Genetics Laboratory, Department of Entomology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616-8579, USA. E-mail: frtripet@yahoo.com

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 6 SEP 2002
  2. Article first published online: 6 SEP 2002
  3. Received 6 June 2001; revision received 19 April 2002

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Keywords:

  • coloniality;
  • geographical range;
  • host range;
  • local adaptation;
  • radiation

Summary

  • 1
    The environment of parasites is determined largely by their hosts. Variation in host quality, abundance and spatial distribution affects the balance between selection within hosts and gene flow between hosts, and this should determine the evolution of a parasite's host-range and its propensity to locally adapt and speciate.
  • 2
    We investigated the relationship between host spatial distribution and (1) parasite host range, (2) parasite mobility and (3) parasite geographical range, in a comparative study of a major group of avian ectoparasites, the birds fleas belonging to the Ceratophyllidae (Siphonaptera).
  • 3
    Flea species parasitizing colonial birds had narrower host ranges than those infesting territorial nesters or birds with an intermediate level of nest aggregation.
  • 4
    The potential mobility and geographical ranges of fleas decreased with increasing level of aggregation of their hosts and increased with the fleas’ host ranges.
  • 5
    Birds with aggregated nest distribution harboured more flea species mainly due to a larger number of specialists than solitarily nesting hosts.
  • 6
    These results emphasize the importance of host spatial distribution for the evolution of specialization, and for local adaptation and speciation in Ceratophyllid bird fleas.
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