- Published:
The effect of larval trematodes on the survival rates of two species of mud snails (hydrobiidae) experimentally exposed to desiccation, freezing and anoxia
Helgoländer Meeresuntersuchungen volume 50, pages 327–335 (1996)
Abstract
Digenetic trematodes are widespread among mud snails (Hydrobiidae) living in coastal lagoons and estuaries, but knowledge is generally lacking on their impact on these host organisms. We examined the survival rates of infected and non-infected experimental populations of two mud snail species,Hydrobia ventrosa (Montagu) andHydrobia neglecta Muus, exposed to desiccation, freezing and anoxia in the laboratory. Our experiments indicated that non-infected groups of both species had similar survival rates after being subjected to desiccation and anoxia, whereasH. ventrosa survived freezing better thanH. neglecta. However, infected groups ofH. neglecta specimens subjected to desiccation showed significantly lower survival rates than non-infected groups. Infected and non-infected snails of both species exposed to freezing and anoxia exhibited similar survival rates. The possible mechanisms by which parasites influence their hosts are discussed. It is unlikely that the parasites in the present case mediate the coexistence of the twoHydrobia-species, because the snail with the highest reproductive effort-H. neglecta-showed lower infection rates in situ than its congenerH. ventrosa.
Literature Cited
Ankel, F., 1962.Hydrobia ulvae Pennant undHydrobia ventrosa Montagu als Wirt larvaler Trematoden.—Vidensk. Meddr dansk. naturh. Foren.124, 1–100.
Barnes, R. S. K., 1993. Life-history strategies in contrasting populations of the coastal gastropodHydrobia. III. Lagoonal versus intertidal marineH. neglecta.—Vie Milieu43, 73–83.
Barnes, R. S. K., 1994. Investment in eggs in lagoonalHydrobia ventrosa and life-history strategies in north-west EuropeanHydrobia species.—J. mar. biol. Ass. U.K.74, 637–650.
Cherrill, A. J. & James, R., 1985. The distribution and habitat preferences of four species of Hydrobiidae in East Anglia.—J. Conch.32, 123–133.
Cherrill, A. J. & James, R., 1987a. Character displacement inHydrobia.—Oecologia71, 618–623.
Cherrill, A. J. & James, R., 1987b. Evidence for competition between mudsnails (Hydrobiidae): a field experiment.—Hydrobiologia150, 25–31.
Davies, T. W. & Erasmus, D. A. 1984. An ultrastructural study of the effect of parasitism by larvalSchistosoma mansoni on the calcium reserves of the host,Biomphalaria glabrata.—Cell Tissue Res.236, 643–649.
Dawkins, R., 1982. The extended phenotype. The gene as the unit of selection. Freeman, Oxford, 307 pp.
Day, R. W. & Quinn, G. P., 1989. Comparisons of treatments after an analysis of variance in ecology.—Ecol. Monogr.59, 433–463.
Deblock, S., 1980. Inventaire des trématodes larvaires parasites des mollusquesHydrobia (Prosobranches) des côtes de France.—Parassitologia22, 1–105.
Dobson, P. & Merenlender, A., 1991. Coevolution of macroparasites and their hosts. In: Parasite-host associations—Coexistence or conflict? Ed. by C. A. Toft, A. Aeschlimann & L. Bolis. Oxford Science Publ., Oxford, 83–101.
Esch, G. W. & Fernández, J. C., 1993. A functional biology of parasitism. Chapman & Hall, London, 337 pp.
Fenchel, T., 1975a. Factors determining the distribution patterns of mud snails (Hydrobiidae).—Oecologia20, 1–17.
Fenchel, T., 1975b. Character displacement and coexistence in mud snails (Hydrobiidae).—Oecologia20, 19–32.
Fenchel, T. & Kofoed, L., 1976. Evidence for exploitative interspecific competition in mud snails (Hydrobiidae).—Oikos27, 367–376.
Forbes, V. E., 1991. Response ofHydrobia ventrosa (Montagu) to environmental stress: effects of salinity fluctuations and cadmium exposure on growth.—Funct. Ecol.5, 642–648.
Freeland, B., 1986. Arms races and covenants: the evolution of parasite communities. In: Community ecology. Ed. by J. Kikkawa & D. J. Anderson. Blackwell, London, 289–308.
Granovitch, A. I., 1992. The effect of trematode infection on the population structure ofLittorina saxatilis (Olivi) in the White Sea. In: Proceedings of the Third International Symposium on Littorinid Biology. Ed. by J. Grahame, P. J. Mill & D. G. Reid. The Malacological Society of London, London, 255–263.
Guth, D. J., Blankespoor, H. D. & Cairns, J., 1977. Potentiation of zinc stress caused by parasitic infection of snails.—Hydrobiologia55, 225–229.
Holmes, J. C., 1983. Evolutionary relationships between parasitic helminths and their hosts. In: Coevolution. Ed. by D. J. Futuyma & M. Slatkin. Sinauer, Sunderland, Mass., 161–185.
Holmes, J. C. & Price, P. W., 1986. Communities of parasites. In: Community ecology. Ed. by J. Kikkawa & D. J. Anderson. Blackwell, London, 187–213.
Hull, C. H. & Nie, N. H., 1981. SPSS update 7–9. New procedures and facilities for releases 7–9. McGraw-Hill, New York, 402 pp.
Hylleberg, J., 1975. The effect of salinity and temperature on egestion in mud snails (Gastropoda: Hydrobiidae): I. A study on niche overlap.—Oecologia21, 279–289.
Hylleberg, J., 1986. Distribution of hydrobiid snails in relation to salinity, with emphasis on shell size and co-existence of the species.—Ophelia (Suppl.)4, 85–100.
Hylleberg, J. & Siegismund, H. R., 1987. Niche overlap in mud snails (Hydrobiidae): freezing tolerance.—Mar. Biol.94, 403–407.
James, B. L., 1965. The effects of parasitism by larval Digenea on the digestive gland of the intertidal prosobranch,Littorina saxatilis (Olivi) subsp.tenebrosa (Montagu).—Parasitology55, 93–115.
Jensen, K. T. & Siegismund, H. R., 1980. The importance of diatoms and bacteria in the diet ofHydrobia-species.—Ophelia (Suppl.)1, 193–199.
Jensen, K. T. & Mouritsen, K. N., 1992. Mass mortality in two common soft-bottom invertebrates,Hydrobia ulvae andCorophium volutator—the possible role of trematodes.—Helgoländer Meeresunters.46, 329–339.
Kinne, O., 1980. Diseases of marine animals: General aspects. In: Diseases of marine animals. Ed. by O. Kinne, Wiley, New York,1, 13–73.
Lassen, H. H., 1979. Reproductive effort in Danish mudsnails (Hydrobiidae).—Oecologia40, 365–369.
Lassen, H. H. & Kristensen, J. H., 1978. Tolerance to abiotic factors in mudsnails (Hydrobiidae).—Natura jutl.20, 243–250.
Lassen, H. H. & Clark, M., 1979. Comparative fecundity in three Danish mudsnails (Hydrobiidae).—Ophelia18, 171–178.
Latama, G., 1992. Occurrence and impact of larval trematodes on the ecology ofHydrobia neglecta Muus andH. ventrosa (Montagu) (Gastropoda: Hydrobiidae) in estuarine environments. Thesis, Univ. of Aarhus, Aarhus, 34 pp.
Lauckner, G., 1980. Diseases of Mollusca: Gastropoda. In: Diseases of marine animals. Ed. by O. Kinne. Wiley, New York,1, 311–424.
Lauckner, G., 1987a. Ecological effects of larval trematode infestation on littoral marine invertebrate populations.—Int. J. Parasitol.17, 391–398.
Lauckner, G., 1987b. Effects of parasites on juvenile Wadden Sea invertebrates. In: Proceedings of the 5th International Wadden Sea Symposium. Ed. by S. Tougaard & S. Asbirk. The National Forest and Nature Agency & The Museum of Fisheries and Shipping, Esbjerg, 103–121.
Minchella, D. J. & Scott, M. E., 1991. Parasitism: a cryptic determinant of animal community structure.—Trends Ecol. Evolut.6, 250–254.
Moore, J. & Gotelli, N. J., 1990. Phylogenetic perspective on the evolution of altered host behaviours: a critical look at the manipulation hypothesis. In: Parasitism and host behaviour. Ed. by C. J. Barnard & J. M. Behnke. Taylor & Francis, London, 193–229.
Mouritsen, K. N. & Jensen, K. T., 1994. The enigma of gigantism: effect of larval trematodes on growth, fecundity, egestion and locomotion inHydrobia ulvae (Pennant) (Gastropoda: Prosobranchia).—J. exp. mar. Biol. Ecol.181, 53–66.
Muus, B., 1967. The fauna of Danish estuaries and lagoons. Distributions and ecology of dominating species in the shallow reaches of the mesohaline zone.—Meddr Danm. Fisk.-og Havunders.5, 1–316.
Newell, R. C., 1970. Biology of intertidal animals. Elek, London, 555 pp.
Price, P. W., Westoby, M., Rice, B., Atsatt, P. R., Firtz, R. S., Thompson, J. N. & Mobley, K., 1986. Parasite mediation in ecological interactions.—A. Rev. Ecol. Syst.17, 487–505.
Schall, J. J., 1992. Parasite-mediated competition inAnolis lizards.—Oecologia92, 58–64.
Sousa, W. P., 1991. Can models of soft-sediment community structure be complete without parasites?—Am. Zool.31, 821–830.
Sousa, W. P. & Gleason, M., 1989. Does parasitic infection compromise host survival under extreme environmental conditions? The case forCerithidea californica (Gastropoda: Prosobranchia).—Oecologia80, 456–464.
Tallmark, B. & Norrgren, G., 1976. The influence of parasitic trematodes on the ecology ofNassarius reticulatus (L.) in Gullmar Fjord (Sweden).—Zoon4, 149–154.
Thompson, S. N.. 1990. Physiological alterations during parasitism and their effects on host behaviour. In: Parasitism and host behaviour. Ed. by C. J. Barnard & J. M. Behnke. Taylor & Francis, London, 64–94.
Toft, C. A., Aeschlimann, A. & Bolis, L., 1991. Introduction: coexistence or conflict. In: Parasite-host associations—Coexistence or conflict? Ed. by C. A. Toft, A. Aeschlimann & L. Bolis. Oxford Science Publ, Oxford, 1–12.
Underwood, A. J., 1981. Techniques of analysis of variance in experimental marine biology and ecology.—Oceanogr. mar. Biol.19, 513–605.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Jensen, K.T., Latama, G. & Mouritsen, K.N. The effect of larval trematodes on the survival rates of two species of mud snails (hydrobiidae) experimentally exposed to desiccation, freezing and anoxia. Helgolander Meeresunters 50, 327–335 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02367107
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02367107