CHARACTERISTICS OF THE HAEMOPROTEID COMMUNITY IN AN EXPANDING WHITE-WINGED DOVE POPULATION

The haemoproteid community of 171 eastern white-winged doves (Zenaida asiatica asiatica) from the expanding Texas population was examined using thin blood smears. During summer 1997, heart blood was taken from doves within their historical breeding range (Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas), an intermediate region (San Antonio and surrounding area), and the new breeding periphery (north central to southeast Texas). Two species were found: Haemoproteus columbae and Haemoproteus sacharovi. Infracommunities rarely occurred in heart blood, as only 20 of 132 infected doves demonstrated gametocytes of both species. Overall prevalence of H. columbae and H. sacharovi was 77 and 15%, respectively. Prevalence of H. columbae was higher in the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) and intermediate regions than at the periphery, higher in adults than juveniles, and similar between males and females. Prevalence of H. sacharovi was lower in the LRGV than intermediate and peripheral regions, similar between juveniles and adults, and higher in females than males. Mean density of H. columbae and H. sacharovi was 15.9 +/- 2.7 and 0.3 +/- 0.1 (mean +/- SE per 3,000 erythrocytes), respectively. Overall mean abundance of H. columbae and H. sacharovi was 12.2 +/- 2.2 and 0.04 +/- 0.02, respectively. Mean abundance of H. columbae was higher in the LRGV and intermediate regions than at the periphery and was similar between host age and between host sex; H. sacharovi was similar among regions, host age, and host sex. This study emphasizes the importance of using prevalence, density, and abundance data to assess haemoproteid community structure and pattern.