Increasing Interest in Parasitology at the Past Three International Mammalogical Congresses Held in 1997, 2001 and 2005: Mammals, Parasites, Zoonoses and Biodiversity

We summarized the data from the past three TTC (now IMC) meetings to examine the potential trends in presentation of parasites of mammals at the meeting. The lists include titles and authors of papers given in symposia, poster sessions, and oral presentations related to diseases, zoonoses, parasites, and causative agents of diseases of sylvatic mammals. Our analysis shows that there has been an increase in the number of papers (from 2.8% in 1997 to 5.1% in 2005) presented at the International Mammalogical Meetings. We also show that there are potentially more than 27,000 species of parasites (broadly defined) currently inhabiting the more than 5,400 species of extant mammals. To understand ecological biodiversity, it is necessary to know the complete mammal, including both ecto- and endosymbionts, and the systematics of the mammal itself