Drivers of parasite communities in three sympatric benthic sharks in the Gulf of Naples (central Mediterranean Sea).

ABSTRACT: Sharks play a key role in the functioning of marine ecosystems and maintenance of trophic web balance, including life cycles of parasites co-occurring in their habitats. We investigated the structure of parasite communities of three sympatric shark species (Etmopterus spinax, Galeus melastomus, and Scyliorhinus canicula) and explored both the influence of host features in shaping the communities and their role as biological indicators of environment stability in the Gulf of Naples (central Mediterranean Sea), a geographical area characterized by strong anthropic pressure. Parasites found were all trophic transmitted helminths with a complex life cycle, except Lernaeopoda galei, that is a ecto-parasite copepod. Communities were all similarly impoverished with 4-5 component species and low v

SUBMITTER: Santoro M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9200773 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature