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FIELD EVIDENCE OF HOST SIZE-DEPENDENT PARASITISM IN TWO MANIPULATIVE PARASITES

FIELD EVIDENCE OF HOST SIZE-DEPENDENT PARASITISM IN TWO MANIPULATIVE PARASITES The distribution of parasites within host natural populations has often been found to be host age-dependent. Host mortality induced by parasites is the commonest hypothesis proposed for explaining this pattern. Despite its potential importance in ecology, the parasitism intensity in relation with the host age has rarely been studied in the field. The 2 manipulative acanthocephalans, Polymorphus minutus and Pomphorhynchus laevis, use the amphipod Gammarus pulex as an intermediate host, and their infection intensity and incidence among G. pulex populations were examined by analyzing 2 large samples of hosts collected in eastern France. Both parasites had low prevalence in the host populations, but their mean abundances were highly related with gammarid age. For the 2 acanthocephalans, results reported a disappearance or an absence of heavily infected hosts in the older host age classes. These results suggested that parasites that alter intermediate host behavior for enhancing their transmission success to the definitive host reduce the survival of their intermediate host. In conclusion, manipulative parasites might act as a mechanism regulating the density of gammarid populations. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png The Journal of Parasitology Allen Press

FIELD EVIDENCE OF HOST SIZE-DEPENDENT PARASITISM IN TWO MANIPULATIVE PARASITES

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The Journal of Parasitology , Volume 93 (4): 5 – Aug 30, 2007
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References (53)

Publisher
Allen Press
Copyright
American Society of Parasitologists
Subject
ECOLOGY-EPIDEMIOLOGY
ISSN
0022-3395
eISSN
1937-2345
DOI
10.1645/GE-1108R.1
pmid
17918352
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

The distribution of parasites within host natural populations has often been found to be host age-dependent. Host mortality induced by parasites is the commonest hypothesis proposed for explaining this pattern. Despite its potential importance in ecology, the parasitism intensity in relation with the host age has rarely been studied in the field. The 2 manipulative acanthocephalans, Polymorphus minutus and Pomphorhynchus laevis, use the amphipod Gammarus pulex as an intermediate host, and their infection intensity and incidence among G. pulex populations were examined by analyzing 2 large samples of hosts collected in eastern France. Both parasites had low prevalence in the host populations, but their mean abundances were highly related with gammarid age. For the 2 acanthocephalans, results reported a disappearance or an absence of heavily infected hosts in the older host age classes. These results suggested that parasites that alter intermediate host behavior for enhancing their transmission success to the definitive host reduce the survival of their intermediate host. In conclusion, manipulative parasites might act as a mechanism regulating the density of gammarid populations.

Journal

The Journal of Parasitology – Allen Press

Published: Aug 30, 2007

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