Consequences of eye-fluke infection on anti-predator behaviours in invasive round gobies in Kalmar sound
2016 (English)Independent thesis Advanced level (degree of Master (Two Years)), 30 credits / 45 HE credits
Student thesis
Abstract [en]
Larvae of the eye-fluke, Diplostomum, emerge from snails and infect fish by penetrating skin or gills. Inside, it moves to the lens where it may impair the vision of the fish. For the fluke to reproduce, a bird must eat the infected fish, and it has been suggested that they actively manipulate the fish's behaviour to increase the risk of predation. I found parasite prevalence’s of 90-100 % in invasive round gobies (Neogobius melanostomus) from the Kalmar Sound, Baltic Sea. I investigated if the intensity of parasite-induced cataract was related to behavioural alterations in round gobies. My results suggest that round gobies with intense cataracts had a reduced response to simulated avian attack. However, other anti-predator behaviours, i.e. light intensity preference, shelter use and boldness were not impaired. My results are in accordance to the idea that parasites change host behaviour to their own advantage, and may have implications for the success of invasive round goby populations.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2016. , p. 34
Keywords [en]
Biological invasion, PITT, trematoda, parasitism, cataract, anti-predator behaviour
National Category
Biological Sciences
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:lnu:diva-54632OAI: oai:DiVA.org:lnu-54632DiVA, id: diva2:950716
External cooperation
Jane Behrens, DTU AQUA - National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Section for Marine Ecology and Oceanography, Denmark
Subject / course
Biology
Supervisors
Examiners
2016-08-092016-07-122016-08-09Bibliographically approved