Infection with cerebral metacercariae of microphallid trematode parasites reduces reproductive output in the gammarid amphipod Gammarus insensibilis (Stock 1966) in UK saline lagoons

Gates, Andrew R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2798-5044; Sheader, Martin; Williams, John A.; Hawkins, Lawrence E.. 2017 Infection with cerebral metacercariae of microphallid trematode parasites reduces reproductive output in the gammarid amphipod Gammarus insensibilis (Stock 1966) in UK saline lagoons. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 98 (6). 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0025315417000662

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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0025315417000662

Abstract/Summary

Saline lagoons are priority habitats in the United Kingdom supporting several protected specialist species. One specialist, the amphipod Gammarus insensibilis, is infected with behaviour-altering microphallid trematodes such as Microphallus papillorobustus. In saline lagoons around the coast of England (Gilkicker and Lymington–Keyhaven on the Hampshire coast and Moulton Marsh in Lincolnshire) there is variation in the prevalence of this parasite in the gammarid populations (0 at Salterns in the Lymington–Keyhaven lagoon system to 98% at Gilkicker). Infection intensity ranged from 0 to 20 metacercariae in individual amphipods. Higher infection intensity can alter the shape of the amphipod's head. Under experimental conditions respiration rate is significantly reduced in infected animals and reproductive output (expressed as early stage embryos mg g dry weight−1) is significantly lower in infected females. It is important to consider the role of host–parasite interactions in order to understand the ecology of specialist lagoon species such as G. insensibilis and their lagoon habitats.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1017/S0025315417000662
ISSN:	0025-3154
Date made live:	30 Jun 2017 14:47 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/517258

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

https://doi.org/10.1017/S0025315417000662

ISSN:

0025-3154

Date made live:

30 Jun 2017 14:47 +0 (UTC)

URI:

https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/517258