A coprological survey of parasites of wild mantled howling monkeys, Alouatta palliata palliata.

Fecal samples from 155 mantled howling monkeys (Alouatta palliata palliata) examined at Centro Ecologico La Pacifica, Guanacaste Province, Costa Rica, revealed 75 (48%) had parasitic infections. A sampling of nine howling monkeys from Santa Rosa National Park. Costa Rica indicated only one infected animal (11%). Only three of 19 (16%) spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) also from Santa Rosa were infected. Controrchis biliophilus, Trypanoxyuris minutus, unidentified strongylid eggs and Isospora sp. oocysts were found. Three monkeys from La Pacifica died and were examined for adult helminths. They were infected with Ascaris lumbricoides, C. biliophilus and T. minutus.

Parasites of wild howlers (Alouatta spp.)

A literature review of howler parasites provides the basis for an overview of the ecological significance of parasite surveys in primates. Within this framework, we have added insights into the interactions between primate hosts and their parasites from a long-term study in Costa Rica. We collected fecal samples from mantled howlers (Alouatta palliata) over a 9-year period (19861994 inclusive) and analyzed them for parasite eggs, larvae, cysts, and oocysts. We found many misperceptions inherent in the typical methodology of primate parasite surveys and in the reporting of the findings. Our work in Costa Rica suggests that a snapshot effect occurs with most surveys. A static view does not reflect the dynamic and changing ecological interaction between host and parasite. We describe some problems with parasite data analyses that emphasize the need for long-term longitudinal surveys in wild primate groups.