Numerical and functional responses to the presence of a competitor - the case of Aggregata sp. (Apicomplexa: Aggregatidae) and Octopicola superba (Copepoda: Octopicolidae)

• Tipo: Artigo em Revista Científica Internacional
• Data: 2014

Autores

Cavaleiro, FI (Autor) Outra; Santos, MJ (Autor) FCUP

Revista

Título: Parasitology

Vol. 141

Páginas: 216-226

ISSN: 0031-1820

Editora: Cambridge University Press

Indexação

ISI Web of Knowledge - 0 Citações

Scopus - 0 Citações

Classificação Científica

FOS: Ciências médicas e da saúde > Ciências da saúde

Outras Informações

ID Authenticus: P-009-5G0

DOI: 10.1017/s0031182013001406

Abstract (EN): Evidence of interference competition between the eimeriorin coccidian Aggregata sp. and the octopicolid copepod Octopicola superba at the level of the gills of naturally infected Octopus vulgaris is evaluated. Numerical and functional responses are considered for analysis, and the fundamental and realized spatial niches (FSNs and RSNs) are measured as part of the study. While it was not possible to measure the FSN of Aggregata sp., the analysis of the infection levels of O. superba recorded for non-concomitantly and concomitantly infected hosts suggests that the gills and body skin constitute, respectively, the main and accessory sites of infection of the parasite. According to the evidence found, the gills function mainly as an accessory site of infection of Aggregata sp., in specimens in which the caecum and intestine are massively infected. Evidence for a negative interaction between Aggregata sp. and O. superba has been found while controlling for a potential confounding effect of host size. Furthermore, the presence of O. superba on gill lamellae appears to have been negatively affected by the presence of Aggregata sp., while this latter remained mostly undisturbed. The mean number of oocysts of Aggregata sp. in the gills was higher in spring and summer, which were also the seasons presenting the broadest RSN for O. superba.

Idioma: Inglês

Tipo (Avaliação Docente): Científica

Nº de páginas: 11