ウミクワガタ類の寄生行動にともなう被食のリスク

概要

論文の詳細を見る
Life histories of gnathiid isopods are briefly reviewed, and the mode of ectoparasitism is discussed in relation to the risks involved in the parasitic behaviour, particularly predation by cleaning fishes. Gnathiids are fish-parasitic isopod crustaceans, and their larvae are generally known to develop to non-feeding adults after shuttling between host fishes and benthic habitats a number of times. During the locomotion between the host and habitat, gnathiid larvae may be exposed to risks, such as predation and loss of host/habitat. Recent studies indicate that gnathiids are one of the main food items of cleaning fishes. Gnathiids need to parasitize once for each molt, and each parasitism is considered to involve risks. Thus, built-in risks in the parasitism might affect the life history traits of gnathiids, such as the number of parasitisims. In all gnathiid species whose life cycles have previously been reported, larvae mature to adults after three parasitisms. Periodic surveys of the host-parasite relationship between the gnathiid, Elaphognathia cornigera, and the host goby, Chasmichthys dolichognathus, were conducted on an intertidal rocky shore of Oura Bay, Izu Peninsula, southern Japan. Fortnightly samplings of C. dolichognathus showed seasonal occurrence of the goby. Infestation of E. cornigera to C. dolichognathus was observed from spring to autumn, when the goby was relatively abundant. Gut content analysis of C. dolichognathus suggested that E. cornigera larvae were often eaten by the goby. In mid-August 1996, a total of 22 and 5 gnathiid individuals found on the skin and in the guts of 68 gobies, respectively. The predatory effects of C. dolichognathus seem to be strong and may be an important source of mortality for the parasitic isopod.
日本ベントス学会の論文
2002-06-27

著者

田中克彦
志津川町自然環境活用センター

ウミクワガタ類の寄生行動にともなう被食のリスク

スポンサーリンク

概要

著者

関連論文

スポンサーリンク