Macroecology, host specialization and phylogenetic relationships of haemosporidian parasites in New World birds

• Grant number: 24/04269-9
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants
• Start date: June 01, 2025
• End date: May 31, 2030
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Ecology
• Principal Investigator: Alan Fecchio
• Grantee: Alan Fecchio
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (FCAV). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Jaboticabal. Jaboticabal , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Carolina Romeiro Fernandes Chagas ; Daniela de Angeli Dutra ; Fabio Schunck Pires Gomes ; Jason David Weckstein ; Karin Kirchgatter Hildebrand ; Marcos Rogério André ; Rafael Barros Pereira Pinheiro ; Victor Aguiar de Souza Penha ; Vincenzo A Ellis ; Vítor de Queiroz Piacentini

Abstract

Haemosporidians (phylum Apicomplexa, order Haemosporida) are a diverse group of parasites that infect terrestrial vertebrates worldwide. Avian haemosporidians (genera Plasmodium, Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon) are capable of circumventing ecological and evolutionary barriers to colonize new host species and geographic regions making this group of blood parasites an excellent model in macroecological and macroevolutionary studies. Despite their importance for understanding the evolutionary history of human malaria, genomic data of avian haemosporidians are rare, constraining the ability to produce robust phylogenetic trees of apicomplexans parasites and causing taxonomic conflict for the haemosporidians that infect birds. This project has four goals: 1) determine which ecological and evolutionary factors shaped the diversity and specialization of haemosporidian parasites in New World birds; 2) generate genomic data for haemosporidian species endemic to the New World and shed light on their phylogenetic relationships; 3) quantifying the abundance of haemosporidians in the host bloodstream and their capacity for local transmission within the bird community using microscopy; and 4) integrating morphological and genomic analyses to describe new haemosporidian species infecting birds in New World. This integrative and innovative approach encompassing large-scale parasite sampling across a broad range of avian host species is imperative for understanding how haemosporidian parasites have specialized across their avian hosts. Additionally, new genomic data generated during this project will be necessary for unravelling the cryptic diversity of this group of blood parasites and understanding the historical process that promoted their diversification across the New World. Therefore, this project will make a substantial contribution to the ecology, evolution, and systematics of haemosporidian parasites. (AU)