THE INFLUENCE OF CRYPTOCOTYLE-LINGUA (DIGENEA, PLATYHELMINTHES) INFECTIONS ON THE SURVIVAL AND FECUNDITY OF LITTORINA-LITTOREA (GASTROPODA,PROSOBRANCHIA) - AN ECOLOGICAL APPROACH

Citation
M. Huxham et al., THE INFLUENCE OF CRYPTOCOTYLE-LINGUA (DIGENEA, PLATYHELMINTHES) INFECTIONS ON THE SURVIVAL AND FECUNDITY OF LITTORINA-LITTOREA (GASTROPODA,PROSOBRANCHIA) - AN ECOLOGICAL APPROACH, Journal of experimental marine biology and ecology, 168(2), 1993, pp. 223-238
Citations number
47
Categorie Soggetti
Marine & Freshwater Biology",Ecology
ISSN journal
00220981
Volume
168
Issue
2
Year of publication
1993
Pages
223 - 238
Database
ISI
SICI code
0022-0981(1993)168:2<223:TIOC(P>2.0.ZU;2-I
Abstract
This study considers the impact of digenean parasites, especially Cryp tocotyle lingua (Creplin) on the survival, reproduction, growth rate a nd foot colour of Littorina littorea (Forbes and Hanley). An 18 month field experiment demonstrated decreased survivorship of infected snail s. A laboratory experiment showed a drastic reduction, but not total c essation, of gamete production in infected females. Infection was foun d to retard growth and correlate with reduced shell height in some ani mals. A strong relationship was found between foot colour and infectio n. The relevance of infection to the population dynamics of L. littore a on the Ythan, and to the Ythan food web as a whole, is considered.