Long-term survey of sea turtles reveals correlations between parasite infection, feeding ecology, reproductive success and population status
Population study published in Scientific Reports (2020)
Abstract
Long-term monitoring of host-parasite interactions is important for understanding the consequences of infection on host fitness and population dynamics. In an eight-year survey of the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) population nesting in Cabo Verde, we determined the spatiotemporal variation of Ozobranchus margoi, a sanguivorous leech best known as a vector for sea turtle fibropapilloma virus. We quantified O. margoi association with turtles' δ15N and δ13C stable isotopes to identify where infection occurs. We then measured the influence of infection on reproduction and offspring fitness. We found that parasite prevalence has increased from 10% of the population in 2010, to 33% in 2017. Stable isotope analysis of host skin samples suggests transmission occurs within the host's feeding grounds. Interestingly, we found a significant interaction between individual size and infection on the reproductive success of turtles. Specifically, small, infected females produced fewer offspring of poorer condition, while in contrast, large, infected turtles produced greater clutch sizes and larger offspring. We interpret this interaction as evidence, upon infection, for a size-dependent shift in reproductive strategy from bet hedging to terminal investment, altering population dynamics. This link between infection and reproduction underscores the importance of using long-term monitoring to quantify the impact of disease dynamics over time.
Abstract sourced from PubMed (NCBI) for the cited record. See the original publication for the authoritative version.
Resumen
Long-term loggerhead turtle survey examining leech parasitism alongside feeding ecology, reproduction, and population health — broader ecological context for marine leech vectors.
Por qué esto importa para la hirudoterapia
This eight-year field survey studied the spatiotemporal dynamics of Ozobranchus margoi—a sanguivorous leech parasitic on loggerhead sea turtles and a vector for fibropapilloma virus—in the Cabo Verde nesting population, examining correlations between infection prevalence, stable isotope-derived feeding ecology, reproductive success, and population dynamics. The study found parasite prevalence increased from 10% to 33% over the survey period and identified a size-dependent interaction between infection and reproductive strategy in turtles. For ASH's domain, this article has no defensible relevance to hirudotherapy or the medicinal leech secretome; it concerns wild parasite ecology in a non-medicinal leech species affecting sea turtle populations. The study is purely ecological and observational with no connection to therapeutic applications.
Citación
Long-term survey of sea turtles reveals correlations between parasite infection, feeding ecology, reproductive success and population status.
Lockley EC et al. · Scientific reports, 2020
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Añadido a la biblioteca ASH: May 27, 2026 · Última actualización del sitio: June 18, 2026