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Conspicuous behaviour of Fundulus heteroclitus associated with high digenean metacercariae gill abundances
Author(s) -
Santiago Bass C.,
Weis J. S.
Publication year - 2009
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.1095-8649.2008.02148.x
Subject(s) - fundulus , biology , killifish , trophic level , ecology , trematoda , parasite hosting , intermediate host , zoology , digenea , fish <actinopterygii> , host (biology) , gill , helminths , fishery , world wide web , computer science
Fundulus heteroclitus from six sites throughout the Hackensack Meadowlands District in northern NJ, U.S.A., were examined. Differences in behaviour (surfacing, conspicuousness and activity) were compared to gill infection intensity. Fish from populations infected with >1500 digenean metacercariae of Ascocotyle phagicola diminuta and Echinochasmus schwartzi , spent significantly more time at the water surface and exhibited significantly more conspicuous behaviour ( e.g. jerking) than fish from less parasitized populations. This more conspicuous behaviour has the potential to increase trophic transmission of the parasite to its definitive wading‐bird host.