Acanthocephalan size and sex affect the modification of intermediate host colouration
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Date
2009
Publication Type
Journal Article
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yes
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Abstract
For trophically transmitted parasites, transitional larval size is often related to fitness. Larger parasites may have higher establishment success and/or adult fecundity, but prolonged growth in the intermediate host increases the risk of failed transmission via natural host mortality. We investigated the relationship between the larval size of an acanthocephalan (Acanthocephalus lucii) and a trait presumably related to transmission, i.e. altered colouration in the isopod intermediate host. In natural collections, big isopods harboured larger worms and had more modified (darker) abdominal colouration than small hosts. Small isopods infected with a male parasite tended to have darker abdominal pigmentation than those infected with a female, but this difference was absent in larger hosts. Female size increases rapidly with host size, so females may have more to gain than males by remaining in and growing mutually with small hosts. In experimental infections, a large total parasite volume was associated with darker host respiratory operculae, especially when it was distributed among fewer worms. Our results suggest that host pigment alteration increases with parasite size, albeit differently for male and female worms. This may be an adaptive strategy if, as parasites grow, the potential for additional growth decreases and the likelihood of host mortality increases.
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published
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Journal / series
Volume
136 (8)
Pages / Article No.
847 - 854
Publisher
Cambridge University Press
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Subject
Acanthocephala; Asellus aquaticus; cystacanth; host exploitation; host phenotype manipulation; intermediate host; larval life history; sexual dimorphism; trophic transmission
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Notes
Received 5 January 2009, Revised 10 February, 10 March and 16 March 2009, Accepted 16 March 2009, First published online 19 May 2009. It was possible to publish this article open access thanks to a Swiss National Licence with the publisher