May parasite infection affect the reproductive success in European bitterling?
| Authors | |
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| Year of publication | 2007 |
| Type | Conference abstract |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Description | Parasite infection, fish condition status and number of sired offspring were studied experimentally during the bitterling reproduction season. Fish were infected mainly by larval digenean, nematode P. tomentosa and monogenean G. rhodei, but the level of parasite infection was generally very low. Intensity of parasite infection and parasite species richness did not differ between males and females and parasite abundance did not correlate with fish size. Fish length prior the reproduction was the main factor affecting the number of offspring, especially in males. Intensity of parasite infection was negatively associated with reproductive success only in the largest males; in middle and small sized fish the total number and/or proportion of offspring was independent on parasite load. The female reproductive success was not affected by parasite infection in any size. Our results showed that natural parasite infection plays only marginal role in the reproductive success in European bitterling. |
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