Coral Reefs

, 27:685 | Cite as

Mancae of the parasitic cymothoid isopod, Anilocra apogonae: early life history, host-specificity, and effect on growth and survival of preferred young cardinal fishes

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Abstract

Juvenile parasitic cymothoid isopods (mancae) can injure or kill fishes, yet few studies have investigated their biology. While the definitive host of the adult cymothoids is usually a single host from a particular fish species, mancae may use so-called optional intermediate hosts before settling on the definitive host. Little, however, is known about these early interactions. The cymothoid isopod, Anilocra apogonae, infests the definitive host, Cheilodipterus quinquelineatus. This study examined their host preference among potential optional intermediate hosts. Their effect on the growth and mortality of the young of three apogonid fishes, including the definitive host, was investigated. The number of mancae produced per brood was positively correlated with female length. When given a choice of intermediate hosts, significantly more mancae attached to Apogon trimaculatus (Apogonidae) than to Apogon nigrofasciatus. When presented with Ap. trimaculatus and Pomacentrus amboinensis (Pomacentridae), mancae only attached to Ap. trimaculatus suggesting that mancae may show a taxonomic affiliation with preferred hosts. Mancae fed on all three apogonid species, with C. quinquelineatus being fed on earlier than Ap. trimaculatus and Ap. nigrofasciatus. Mancae feeding frequency, adjusted for fish survival, was lowest on C. quinquelineatus and highest on Ap. trimaculatus. Infested apogonids had reduced growth and increased mortality compared with uninfested fish. A. apogonae mancae can use several species of young apogonid fishes as optional intermediate hosts. Via reduced growth and increased mortality, mancae have the potential to negatively influence definitive host populations and also other young species of apogonid fishes.

Keywords

Cymothoidae Parasites Coral reef fish Apogonidae Isopoda Great Barrier Reef 
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Notes

Acknowledgments

We thank G. Marsden, B. Dixon, A. Crean and A. Simon for assistance in the field; D. Pavlacky, D. Putland, and N. Denman for statistical advice; O. Gon for his help with identifying late-stage larval apogonids, G. Nilsson for use of his photo, the Lizard Island Research Station staff for their help and facilities; and K. Lafferty, A. Kuris, J. Nicholls, and others who edited drafts of the manuscript. Funding was provided by the Lerner Gray Memorial Fund of the American Museum of Natural History (to R.M.F.) and by the Australian Research Council (to A.S.G.).

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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag 2008

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.School of Integrative BiologyThe University of QueenslandBrisbaneAustralia
  2. 2.Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine BiologyUniversity of CaliforniaSanta BarbaraUSA

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