Author:

Keywords:

lernaeocera, pathogenicity, merlangius, trisopterus, north sea, parasite population interactions, atlantic cod, gadus-morhua, infection, copepoda, stability, crustacea, fishes, Science & Technology, Life Sciences & Biomedicine, Fisheries, Veterinary Sciences, LERNAEOCERA, PATHOGENICITY, MERLANGIUS, TRISOPTERUS, NORTH SEA, PARASITE POPULATION INTERACTIONS, ATLANTIC COD, GADUS-MORHUA, INFECTION, COPEPODA, STABILITY, CRUSTACEA, FISHES, 06 Biological Sciences, 07 Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, 30 Agricultural, veterinary and food sciences, 31 Biological sciences

Abstract:

The pathogenicity of the crustacean parasites Lernaeocera lusci and L. branchialis towards their definitive host species (bib and whiting, respectively) was studied in the Dutch and Belgian coastal area. Negative correlations between parasite intensity and haematocrit value were found for both parasite species. L. branchialis was the more pathogenic species: the parasite-induced reductions in haematocrit value were most significant for this species. It is assumed that parasite-induced host mortality can act as a regulatory force at high parasite densities in natural populations.