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Increased prevalence of larval Eustronglylides (Nematoda) in the mummichog, Fundulus heteroclitus (L.), from the discharge canal of a power plant in the Chesapeake Bay
Author(s) -
Hirshfield M. F.,
Morin R. P.,
Hepner D. J.
Publication year - 1983
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.1095-8649.1983.tb02888.x
Subject(s) - fundulus , biology , larva , parasite hosting , estuary , bay , zoology , acanthocephala , ecology , veterinary medicine , helminths , fishery , fish <actinopterygii> , medicine , civil engineering , world wide web , computer science , engineering
The prevalence of larval Eustrongylides sp. in the mummichog, Fundulus heteroclitus , was compared for two populations, one in the vicinity of the intake and one in the discharge canal of a power plant at Chalk Point on the Patuxent River, Maryland. The parasite was four times as prevalent in female F. heteroclitus collected from the discharge canal as in those collected from the intake area. Almost all infected fish were 70 mm or greater in total length. The larvae occurred in capsules and free in the mesentery, or associated with the gut, liver, or gonad of the host; multiple infections were common. Infection by Eustrongylides resulted in pronounced negative effects on F. heteroclitus . The dry weight of somatic tissue was reduced 5% and ovary dry weight was reduced 50% in infected individuals, compared to uninfected individuals of the same length. The proportion of infected females carrying ripe eggs during the breeding season was less than half the value for uninfected females. It is hypothesized that the greater prevalence of the parasite in the discharge canal results from increased abundances of oligochaetes (suspected first intermediate hosts of the parasite), presumably as a consequence of elevated temperatures and organic enrichment from the power plant.