Mineral lick monitoring reveals seasonal patterns of bot fly myiasis in howler monkeys (Alouatta sara)
摘要
Furuncular myiasis, typically caused by bot flies (Oestridae), is a visibly apparent parasitic condition, yet its prevalence and distribution in Neotropical primates are poorly documented. We demonstrate the use of terrestrial camera traps at mineral licks as a non-invasive method for monitoring such parasitization. We analyzed 6,114 camera-trap videos of Bolivian red howler monkeys (Alouatta sara), recorded across 970 trap-days. Of these, 81 (13%) showed at least one visible subcutaneous bot fly nodule. In total, 91 nodules were recorded, most frequently on the tail base, ventral torso, and neck/gular region. We also found strong seasonality, with both the number and the occurrence of visible nodules being significantly higher in the wet season. The only other primate species that regularly visited these same mineral licks, the black-faced spider monkeys (Ateles chamek), did not display visible bot fly nodules. This suggests that a howler monkey specialist bot fly, most likely Cuterebra baeri, was responsible for these nodules. These findings highlight camera trapping as a complementary, non-invasive approach for monitoring visible parasitism.