The distribution of digenean metacercariae within bream (Abramis brama) gill apparatus: preferences, co-occurrence and interactions of parasites

• Published in: Journal of helminthology Vol. 92; no. 3; pp. 332 - 342
• Main Authors: Zolovs, M., Kanto, J., Jakubāne, I.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.05.2018
• Subjects: Abramis brama; Anguilla anguilla; Animals; Aquatic crustaceans; Bream; Censuses; Copepoda; Copepoda - physiology; Cyprinidae - parasitology; Dactylogyrus; Distribution; Ecological monitoring; Ecological studies; Ectoparasites; Fish; Fish Diseases - parasitology; Fresh Water - parasitology; Gills; Gills - parasitology; Habitats; Host-Parasite Interactions; Interactions; Lakes; Metacercariae - isolation & purification; Metacercariae - physiology; Monogenea; Morphology; Oncorhynchus mykiss; Parasites; Parasitology; Patches (structures); Research Paper; Rutilus rutilus; Species; Species Specificity; Worms; Zoology; United States > US; Latvia
• ISSN: 0022-149X; 1475-2697
• DOI: 10.1017/S0022149X1700044X

Species-specific microenvironmental preferences and interactions between parasite species have been the focus of many ecological studies. Here, we studied the distribution of ectoparasite species within the gill apparatus of bream (Abramis brama) from Lake Lubāns (Latvia) to establish whether digenean metacercariae: (1) prefer specific patches within the gill apparatus; (2) co-occur in the same patches with monogeneans and copepods within a host individual; and (3) interact with monogeneans and copepods. We recorded all parasites on gill arches of the same host species and used null models to analyse co-occurrences of digenean metacercariae, monogeneans and copepods. Zero-inflated mixture models were used to define the preferred patches of parasites. We found that digenean metacercariae (Bucephalus polymorphus) prefer specific patches of the gill apparatus to encyst, and shared these preferences with monogeneans and copepods, but did not interact with them. We concluded that digenean metacercariae have a species-specific microenvironmental preference to encyst in the gill apparatus and their occurrence (even in high numbers) does not reduce the success of attachment of monogeneans and copepods in the same gill patches.