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Spatial distribution and impact of the gill-parasitic Mazocraes alosae (Monogenea Polyopisthocotylea) on Alosa alosa and A. fallax (Actinopterygii, Clupeidae)

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Abstract

Are the distribution of Mazocraes alosae and its impact on the host similar between Alosa alosa and A. fallax according to their resemblances? Parasites were numbered on each gill of shads sampled in North-East Atlantic coastal waters and connected rivers. Their impact on host condition was measured using girth, gonado-somatic ratio, C/N ratio, and Fulton’s K. Prevalence and mean intensity of M. alosae were significantly higher for A. alosa than for A. fallax, including in sympatric conditions. The mean intensity varied among sites whatever fish species; it was higher in coastal–estuarine versus fresh waters only for A. fallax. The distribution of M. alosae was aggregated in the host population whatever species. At the host individual level, some gills (second and third for A. alosa, second for A. fallax) were significantly more inhabited than others, probably in relation with larger water volumes flowing on these gills and mazocraeid sedentary lifestyle. Despite high prevalence and intensity, no negative impact of M. alosae was demonstrated on the host condition whatever the index considered. Our study underlines the major occurrence of M. alosae on shads and the potential use of such benign parasite as biological tag to discriminate closely related host species.

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Acknowledgments

This study was funded by the French Ministry of Ecology and Sustainable Development (‘Programme de connaissances Natura2000 amphihalins en mer’). Authors warmly thank the numerous fishermen and local angling federation for providing the fish. We are also grateful to the colleagues (E. Chavance, E. Sola, and T. Lavigne) who collaborated on the study. We gratefully acknowledge Valérie Briand (UMR ECOBIO 6553) for her bibliographical support.

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  1. Elodie Réveillac

    Present address: ESE Agrocampus-Ouest INRA, Ecologie Halieutique, Rue de Saint Brieuc, 35042, Rennes, France

Authors and Affiliations

  1. UMR ECOBIO 6553, CNRS, Université de Rennes 1, Avenue du Général Leclerc, 35042, Rennes, France

    Claudia Gérard

  2. INRA, UMR1349 IGEPP, 35653, Le Rheu, France

    Maxime Hervé

  3. Institute of Plant Sciences - Biotic Interactions, Altenbergrain 21, 3013, Bern, Switzerland

    Maxime Hervé

  4. UMR 7208 BOREA, Service des Stations Marines, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, 38 rue du Port Blanc, 35800, Dinard, France

    Elodie Réveillac & Anthony Acou

Authors
  1. Claudia Gérard
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Correspondence to Claudia Gérard.

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All of the authors read and approved the paper that has not been published previously nor is being considered by any other peer-reviewed journal. The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.

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Gérard, C., Hervé, M., Réveillac, E. et al. Spatial distribution and impact of the gill-parasitic Mazocraes alosae (Monogenea Polyopisthocotylea) on Alosa alosa and A. fallax (Actinopterygii, Clupeidae). Hydrobiologia 763, 371–379 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-015-2391-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-015-2391-1

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