Aggregation patterns of macroendoparasites in phylogenetically related fish hosts

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2010

Authors

Marques, JF (Author) Other; Santos, MJ (Author) FCUP; Cabral, HN (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Parasitology

Vol. 137

Pages: 1671-1680

ISSN: 0031-1820

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 6 Citations

ISI Web of Science

Scopus - 7 Citations

Pubmed / Medline

Scientific classification

FOS: Medical and Health sciences > Health sciences

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-003-3R8

DOI: 10.1017/s0031182010000491

Resumo (PT): doi:10.1017/ S0031182010000491

Abstract (EN): Macroparasites are generally aggregated within their hosts with infection and aggregation levels resulting from a continuous arms race between maintaining high mating probability and host mortality low for which host and environmentally related factors contribute to some extent. Here, infection and aggregation patterns of the macroendoparasites infecting the flatfish Citharus linguatula, Arnoglossus laterna, Lepidorhombus boscii, Scophthalmus rhombus and Platichthys flesus in 3 areas along the Portuguese coast were analysed. Of the 21 macroendoparasite species found only 1 infected all hosts and most were host or area exclusive. For each host-parasite system, values of the indices varied between areas and macroendoparasites were not always aggregated; in fact, some macroendoparasites were generally uniformly distributed, which can be related to specific density-dependent regulation mechanisms. No general pattern was found for infection or aggregation levels of the 3 species infecting more than 2 hosts along the Portuguese coast, i.e. Lecithochirium rufoviride, Nybelinia lingualis and Anisakis simplex s.l., suggesting that regulation mechanisms are not species specific but are locally determined, with host ecology playing a significant role.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 10