Are gobiid fish more susceptible to predation if parasitized by Eustrongylides excisus? An answer from robbed snakes

0337929 - ÚBO 2011 RIV JP eng J - Journal Article
Sloboda, M. - Mihalca, A. D. - Falka, I. - Petrželková, Klára Judita - Carlsson, M. - Ghira, I. - Modrý, David
Are gobiid fish more susceptible to predation if parasitized by Eustrongylides excisus? An answer from robbed snakes.
Ecological Research. Roč. 25, č. 2 (2010), s. 469-473. ISSN 0912-3814. E-ISSN 1440-1703
R&D Projects: GA ČR GD524/03/H133
Grant - others:CNCSIS(RO) TD196/2005
Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60930519; CEZ:AV0Z60220518
Keywords : Gobiidae * Eustrongylidosis * host-parasite interaction
Subject RIV: EG - Zoology
Impact factor: 1.279, year: 2010

Aspects of the predator-prey relationship between Natrix tessellata and gobiid fish infected with Eustrongylides excisus were studied in Lake Sinoe, Romania. A population of snakes residing here shows a high prevalence of subcutaneous larvae of this nematode. The hypothesis of the altered motility in infected fish leading to increased depredation by snakes was tested by comparing gobiids collected from dice snakes with gobiids caught via electrofishing. Three gobiid species were used for analysis: Neogobius syrman, Neogobius eurycephalus, and Neogobius melanostomus. No significant differences in prevalence and intensity of E. excisus infection were found between fish caught by snakes and those obtained by electrofishing. However, significantly higher abundance of E. excisus larvae in fish caught by snakes was reported. These findings suggest limited influence of the presence of E. excisus larvae in studied gobiids regarding their susceptibility to predation by dice snakes.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0181814