The presence of endoparasites in Alouatta pigra in contrasting forest environments of the Lacandona rainforest, Chiapas

Abstract

This study assessed the frequency of intestinal parasitism in Alouatta pigra inhabiting conserved and disturbed forest conditions in the Lacandona rainforest, Chiapas, Mexico. Thirty-nine fecal samples from individual monkeys were collected and analyzed using a flotation technique. The overall percentage of parasitized samples was 38.5% (15/39). Although the disturbed area showed a higher percentage of positive samples (46.2%) than the conserved area (23.1%), this difference was not statistically significant. The parasite genera identified were Controrchis sp., Strongyloides sp., Entamoeba sp., and Giardia sp.; samples with more than 1 parasite genus were recorded only in disturbed areas. These findings provide baseline information on intestinal parasitism in A. pigra in the southern Lacandona rainforest and suggest the need for future studies including local inhabitants, domestic animals, livestock, and environmental reservoirs to evaluate possible transmission pathways in human-modified landscapes.