Reproductive inequalities in the acanthocephalan Corynosoma cetaceum: looking beyond 'crowding' effects.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:At present, much research effort has been devoted to investigate overall ("average") responses of parasite populations to specific factors, e.g. density-dependence in fecundity or mortality. However, studies on parasite populations usually pay little attention to individual variation ("inequality") in reproductive success. A previous study on the acanthocephalan Corynosoma cetaceum in franciscana dolphins, Pontoporia blainvillei, revealed no overall intensity-dependent, or microhabitat effects, on mass and fecundity of worms. In this study, we investigated whether the same factors could influence mass inequalities for this species of acanthocephalan. METHODS:A total of 10,138 specimens of C. cetaceum were collected from 10 franciscanas accidentally caught in Buenos Aires Provinc

SUBMITTER: Aznar FJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5863374 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature