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Parasites in marine protected areas: success and specificity of monogeneans
Author(s) -
Sasal P.,
Desdevises Y.,
Durieux E.,
Lenfant P.,
Romans P.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
journal of fish biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.672
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1095-8649
pISSN - 0022-1112
DOI - 10.1111/j.0022-1112.2004.00297.x
Subject(s) - biology , diplodus , parasite hosting , parasitism , host (biology) , range (aeronautics) , abundance (ecology) , zoology , ecology , monogenea , fishery , fish <actinopterygii> , gill , materials science , world wide web , computer science , mediterranean climate , composite material
The effect of a marine protected area on the Lamellodiscus spp. monogenean community was tested by comparing the communities of parasites of Diplodus sargus inside and outside of the area. A total of 104 D. sargus were dissected harbouring 1280 monogeneans from the genus Lamellodiscus and belonging to 11 species. No modification in the global parasite community linked with the protection of the host populations was revealed. The most abundant and less specific parasite species, Lamellodiscus elegans , however, increased its abundance in the protected area. A significant relationship was found between parasite host range and the percentage of infected hosts. A significant relationship also occurred between epidemiological and genetic distances for the parasite species found. The results are discussed in term of parasite success and specificity and the importance of taking into account parasitism in the biological conservation of hosts.