Savassi Baes auteur aut IRD Dobigny Gauthier auteur aut IRD Etougbetche J. R. auteur aut IRD Avocegan T. T. auteur aut IRD Quinsou F. T. auteur aut IRD Gauthier Philippe auteur aut IRD Ibikounle M. auteur aut IRD Mone H. auteur aut IRD Mouahid G. auteur aut IRD text journalArticle eng text/pdf reformatted digital access Cercarial emission of schistosomes is a determinant in the transmission to the definitive host and constitutes a good marker to identify which definitive host is responsible for transmission, mainly in introgressive hybridization situations. Our goal was to test the hypothesis that micro-mammals play a role in Schistosoma haematobium, S. bovis, and/or S. haematobium x S. bovis transmission. Small mammal sampling was conducted in seven semi-lacustrine villages of southern Benin. Among the 62 animals trapped, 50 individuals were investigated for Schistosoma adults and eggs: 37 Rattus rattus, 3 Rattus norvegicus, 9 Mastomys natalensis, and 1 Crocidura olivieri. Schistosoma adults were found in four R. rattus and two M. natalensis, with a local prevalence reaching 80% and 50%, respectively. Two cercarial chronotypes were found from Bulinus globosus experimentally infected with miracidia extracted from naturally infected M. natalensis: a late diurnal and nocturnal chronotype, and an early diurnal, late diurnal, and nocturnal chronotype. The cytochrome C oxidase subunit I mtDNA gene of the collected schistosomes (adults, miracidia, and cercariae) belonged to the S. bovis clade. Eleven internal transcribed spacer rDNA profiles were found; four belonged to S. bovis and seven to S. haematobium x S. bovis. These molecular results together with the observed multi-peak chronotypes add M. natalensis as a new host implicated in S. haematobium x S. bovis transmission. We discuss the origin of the new chronotypes which have become more complex with the appearance of several peaks in a 24-h day. We also discuss how the new populations of offspring may optimize intra-host ecological niche, host spectrum, and transmission time period. specialized Schistosoma haematobium x Schistosoma bovis Cercarial chronobiology Mastomys natalensis Rattus rattus Schistosome transmission BENIN 080 052 120 5 1755-1770 2021 0932-0113 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010081097 10.1007/s00436-021-07099-7 0932-0113 [F B010081097] https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010081097 https://horizon.documentation.ird.fr/exl-doc/pleins_textes/2021-05/010081097.pdf IRD - Base Horizon / Pleins textes 2021-05-17 2025-02-24 fdi:010081097 fre