Bioecology of the parasites of high altitude homeothermic host-parasite systems. I. Influence of season and temperature on infections by strobilocerci of three species of Hydatigera in Indian house rat.

Seasonal fluctuations in the infrapopulation size of strobilocerci of Hydatigera balaniceps (Hall, 1911), H. laticollis (Rudolphi, 1819) and H. parva (Baer, 1926) infesting liver lobes of Indian house rat populations at high altitude (1400 to 1600 m) appear to be correlated with climatic oscillations in temperature. Greater susceptibility of Rattus rattus to infection was evident at lower temperatures. The distribution of strobilocerci in rodent populations could be described by the Poisson model (P less than 0.20-P less than 0.001).