Parasites of Mammals of Bolivia: Phylogeny and Coevolution

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Funds are requested for three years to continue a survey of parasites of mammals of Bolivia begun in 1984. Collections will concentrate on parasitic nematodes but will include other helminths, ectoparasites, and protozoa. Specimens representative of various taxa will be collected and preserved using standard methods. Collections will include formalin-preserved alcohol- stored specimens for standard morpho-taxonomy and identification and frozen specimens for molecular analyses. The primary objectives of the proposed research include: 1) Secure data (specimens) for both morphologic (taxonomy) and molecular analysis (systematics) that would otherwise be lost or not be preserved adequately for these analyses; 2) Obtain additional materials and data for comparison and inclusion in ongoing studies of host- parasite coevolution; 3) Continue collaboration with workers and students in Bolivia on studies of the parasite fauna of Bolivia and to encourage Bolivian students to study in the USA; 4) Provide access to researchers interested in parasites of neotropical mammals by processing and accessing into the UCD Nematode Collection those samples of Helminths collected in Bolivia since 1984; 5) Enter these data into the micro-computer database of the UCD Nematode Collection in a form compatible with the GIS system presently being implemented at the American Museum to allow fast and easy access to information on parasites and their hosts. The diversity of the mammalian fauna of Bolivia is poorly known; thus, the parasites of this region are even less will known (eg. less than 30 references exist concerning parasites of wild animals of Bolivia). Funds are requested at this time for work on the parasites of mammals in Bolivia partly because of the window of opportunity afforded by the presently funded NSF grant to Anderson, Yates, and Cook (BSR-8408923) for continuation of their survey of the mammalian fauna of Bolivia in the Valles and Yungas regions. These researchers have established a protocol of time- frames and collection areas. The areas in which the expedition will travel are biologically unknown, and funding of this proposal will allow unique and irreplaceable data on diversity of parasites of these mammals to be accumulated, processed, stored, and accessed in an efficient manner. In addition, inclusion of material obtained from geographic areas that were not visited in 1984-1987 will allow further tests of hypotheses of coevolution and zoogeography.