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S A V A C O N S E R V A T I O N
V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 2
P A G E 9
Parasites Found in Wild Silky Sifakas
By Erik R. Patel, Ph.D., DLC Post-Doctoral Project Director, SAVA Conservation
Sifakas can harbor a variety of endo- and ectopara-
sites which in extreme cases can impact health and sur-
vival. Low levels of parasite infestation are common
and may often be endemically stable or commensal
without major health impacts (Junge and Sauther,
2006). Type and species of parasite can be very differ-
ent between wild and captive sifakas. In captive popu-
lations, the protozoal parasite
Cryptosporidium
spp.
may be the most dangerous but has not yet been found
in wild sifakas (Charles-Smith et al., 2010).
Giardia
spp.,
another protozoal parasite, is less life threatening but
can be debilitating for captive sifakas, and it too has not
yet been found in wild sifakas (Schopler, pers. comm.)
Wild sifakas have been found to harbor a variety of
worms (generally eggs are found in fecal samples, sel-
dom adult worms). Most sifaka worms are nematodes
or roundworms such as
Lemurostrongylus
sp.,
Strongy-
loides
sp.,
Pararhabdonema longistriata
,
Lemuricola
sp.
(“pinworm”),
Biguetius trichoides
(“pinworm”), and
Dipetalonema
sp. which is a filarial or “thread-like” ge-
nus. Platyhelminthes or “flatworms” are also some-
times found including “tapeworms” such as
Cestoda
,
Monezia
sp, and
Anoplocephala
sp. In one case, eggs of
“thorny-headed worms” (
Acanthocephalan
) were also
found in a sifaka. One species of blood parasitic proto-
zoa (
Babezia propitheci
) has been identified in visibly
sick wild Coquerel's sifaka (Irwin and Raharison, 2009;
Irwin et al., 2010; Junge and Louis, 2005; Junge and
Sauther, 2006; Wright et al., 2009).
Wild sifakas are afflicted by a diverse assortment of ectoparasites as well. Although sifakas grooming serves social
functions (Lewis, 2010), their tooth-comb is needed for flies (
Hippoboscidae
and
Ceratopogonidae
), mites (
Psoroptes
sp.,
Liponysella madagascariensis
,
Makialges
sp.,
Gaudalges
sp.), ticks (
Haemaphysalis lemuris
), and leeches
(
Malagobdella
sp.) (Irwin et al., 2010; Junge and Louis, 2005; Junge and Sauther, 2006; Wright et al., 2009). In both
captive and wild sifaka populations, parasite infestation increases during the warmer/wetter months. Some evidence
also exists that stressed populations inhabiting disturbed, severely fragmented habitats (e.g. blue-eyed black lemurs
at Sahamalaza – Iles Radama National Park and Milne-Edwards’ sifakas at Ranomafana National Park) may suffer un-
usually high parasite loads (Wright et al., 2009; Schwitzer et al., 2010).
Little is known about what parasites silky sifakas, one of the rarest lemurs, may be harboring, although
Cestodes
(“tapeworm”) eggs have been noted (Junge and Sauther, 2006). Recently, we undertook the first systematic study of
silky sifaka parasites. Fecal samples were collected both from our main study group in Marojejy National Park inhab-
iting a montane primary forest as well as a new group we are studying in the Makira Natural Park inhabiting a frag-
Silky sifaka mother carrying both her own and another mother’s
young infant.
(Photo by Jeff Gibbs)