Effect of salinity on hatching, survival andinfectivity of Anguillicola crassus(Nematoda: Dracunculoidea) larvae

Diseases of Aquatic Organisms

J. W. Lewis¹  C. R. Kennedy¹  R. S. Kirk¹ 

关键词: Anguillicola crassus;    Parasitic nematode;    Eels;    Swimbladder;    Salinity;    Egg hatch;    Larval survival;    Infectivity;   

DOI  :  10.3354/dao040211

学科分类：生物科学（综合）

来源: Inter-Research

【 摘 要 】

ABSTRACT: The effect of salinity on hatching, larval survival and infectivity of Anguillicola crassus was studied under experimental conditions using eggs obtained from naturally infected eels. Egg hatching rate, second-stage larval survival andlarval infectivity were maximal in fresh water and declined with increase in salinity. Larvae survived up to 100 d in fresh water, 70 d in 50% sea water and 40 d in 100% sea water. Infectivity experiments demonstrated that salinity influenced transmissionsuccess throughout the life cycle by decreasing total infectivity of the larval population in utero within female A. crassus and when larvae were free-living in the aquatic environment. Infectivity was age-dependent in relation to salinity.Larvae were infective to intermediate and paratenic hosts for up to 80 d in fresh water, 21 d in 50% sea water and up to 8 d in 100% sea water. The data confirm field observations that infection levels decrease with an increase in salinity. The studycontributes to experimental verification of the colonization abilities of A. crassus and supports the hypothesis that A. crassus can be disseminated and transmitted in brackish water. The importance of regular monitoring and stringenthygiene practices in the transportation of eels is emphasised.

【 授权许可】

Unknown