Cloacal mycobiota in wild females of Caiman latirostris (Crocodylia: Alligatoridae)

Abstract

There are a few reports about the existence of cloacal mycobiota on wild reptiles and fungal presence and function in Caiman latirostris remains unknown. Our objective was to describe fungal community present in the cloaca of wild females of broad-snouted caiman during its reproductive season and its relationship with female's body condition. Fungi were found in 9 out of 13 cloacal samples and 14 species of fungi were isolated and identified. Three taxa of the total species listed had a higher occurrence values, two of them are pathogenic fungi. In this case, Body Condition Index has no relationship with fungi frequency; the permanent contact of C. latirostris females' cloaca with the habitat soil and nest substrate could be a source for fungi found in this study. The findings in this work support the theory of reptiles as facultative carriers for fungi.