Cost of exposure to trematode cercariae and learned recognition and avoidance of parasitism risk by fathead minnows Pimephales promelas

Fathead minnows Pimephales promelas exposed to cercariae of the trematode Ornithodiplostomum sp. incurred a significant mass loss 17 days after exposure to 20 or 120 cercariae. Parasite‐naïve P. promelas showed no evidence of innate recognition or avoidance of cercariae. After a single exposure to c...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of fish biology 2008-12, Vol.73 (9), p.2238-2248
Main Authors: James, C. T., Noyes, K. J., Stumbo, A. D., Wisenden, B. D., Goater, C. P.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
behavioural avoidance
cost of parasitism
Freshwater
host activity
learning
Marine
Ornithodiplostomum
Pimephales promelas
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Summary:Fathead minnows Pimephales promelas exposed to cercariae of the trematode Ornithodiplostomum sp. incurred a significant mass loss 17 days after exposure to 20 or 120 cercariae. Parasite‐naïve P. promelas showed no evidence of innate recognition or avoidance of cercariae. After a single exposure to cercariae, however, fish responded to chemical and visual cues of dead (thawed) cercariae with a reduction in activity. Encounter rate with cercariae, and hence infection rate, increased with fish activity. The data indicated that experienced P. promelas associated parasitism risk with novel chemical and visual cues that later triggered avoidance behaviour. Parallels and interactions between antiparasite behaviour and antipredator behaviour open new avenues for behavioural ecological research in risk‐sensitive decision‐making.
ISSN:0022-1112
1095-8649
DOI:10.1111/j.1095-8649.2008.02052.x