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Atlantic salmon infected with salmon lice are more susceptible to new lice infections
Author(s) -
Ugelvik M S,
Mo T,
Mennerat A,
Skorping A
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of fish diseases
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.819
H-Index - 85
eISSN - 1365-2761
pISSN - 0140-7775
DOI - 10.1111/jfd.12514
Subject(s) - lepeophtheirus , biology , salmo , parasite hosting , fecundity , host (biology) , zoology , fish <actinopterygii> , infestation , ecology , fishery , demography , population , botany , sociology , world wide web , computer science
Aggregation is commonly observed for macroparasites, but its adaptive value remains unclear. Heavy infestations intensities may lead to a decrease in some fitness‐related traits of parasites (e.g. parasite fecundity or survival). However, to a dioecious parasite, increased aggregation could also increase the chance of finding individuals of the opposite sex. In a laboratory experiment, we tested if previous experience with salmon lice ( Lepeophtheirus salmonis ) affected susceptibility of Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar ) to later exposure to the same parasite species. We found that currently infected fish got higher intensities of new lice than naive fish. This suggests that hosts already carrying parasites are more susceptible to new lice infections. For this dioecious parasite, such positive density dependence might be adaptive, ensuring successful reproduction under conditions of low lice densities by increasing the probability of both sexes infecting the same host.