Parasite-Altered Behavior in a Crustacean Intermediate Host: Field and Laboratory Studies

The effects of the acanthocephalan parasite Pomphorhynchus laevis on the behavior of its crustacean intermediate host, the amphipod Echinogammarus stammeri, were studied. A drift study revealed that infected amphipods were disproportionately represented in drift samples taken throughout a 24-hr peri...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of parasitology 1998-12, Vol.84 (6), p.1102-1106
Main Authors: Maynard, B. J., Wellnitz, T. A., Zanini, N., Wright, W. G., Dezfuli, B. S.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acanthocephala - physiology
Analysis of Variance
Animals
Behavior
Behavior, Animal
Behavioral changes
Biological and medical sciences
Brackish
Crustacea - parasitology
Crustacea - physiology
Drift nets
Echinogammarus stammeri
Experimentation
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Host-Parasite Interactions
Infections
Intermediate hosts
Marine
Medically important nuisances and vectors, pests of stored products and materials: population survey and control
Motor Activity
Parasite hosts
Parasites
Parasitism
Parasitology
Pomphorhynchus laevis
River water
Vectors. Intermediate hosts
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Summary:The effects of the acanthocephalan parasite Pomphorhynchus laevis on the behavior of its crustacean intermediate host, the amphipod Echinogammarus stammeri, were studied. A drift study revealed that infected amphipods were disproportionately represented in drift samples taken throughout a 24-hr period; infection with more than 1 parasite enhanced this effect. Infection also interacted with the daily timing of drift, with parasitized amphipods beginning to drift earlier in the evening. Two distinct behaviors quantified in laboratory settings may play a role in this increased drifting behavior: parasitized amphipods showed (1) an increased preference for an illuminated environment and (2) increased activity in comparison to nonparasitized conspecifics. These results are consistent with previous studies on the effects of P. laevis on another amphipod host, Gammarus pulex, and provide new data on the activity level of P. laevis-infected amphipods.
ISSN:0022-3395
1937-2345
DOI:10.2307/3284656