Parasitized Collared Aracari (Pteroglossus torquatus) killed by conspecific

Laura Rubio-Rocha; Christian Walter

doi:10.59517/oc.e551

Authors

Laura Rubio-Rocha Grupo de investigación en Ecología y Conservación, Corporación Ruta Natural Colombia. Medellín, Colombia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6084-3646
Christian Walter Independent researcher. Zürich, Switzerland

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.59517/oc.e551

Keywords:

behavior, intraspecific, toucans, aggression, myiasis, parasites

Abstract

We report an incident of intraspecific aggression behavior in Collared Aracari (Pteroglossus torquatus) in the municipality of San Rafael, Antioquia. The record was made on Saturday 21 may 2022 in the afternoon, with the help of binoculars and a photographic camera. This is the first report of this behavior in which the attacked individual was found to be visibly parasitized by larvae of dipterans (myiasis). The aggression observed could have occurred in the context of intraspecific within-group dominance hierarchy, for competition of resources including mates, food and nesting cavities. However, it is also possible that it could have an importance in preventing or reducing parasite infection in the group. This observation opens the door to further questions related to the prevalence of dipteran parasitism in Pteroglossus torquatus and to its relevance to group behavior and parasitism avoidance.

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