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Contribution of parasites to intra- and inter-site variation in shell morphology of a marine gastropod

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 July 2008

David W. Thieltges ,
Ian Saldanha ,
Tommy L.F. Leung  and
Robert Poulin
David W. Thieltges*
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand
Ian Saldanha
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand
Tommy L.F. Leung
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand
Robert Poulin
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: David W. Thieltges, Department of Zoology, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin 9054New Zealand email: David.Thieltges@otago.ac.nz
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Abstract

In gastropods, variation in shell morphology can be caused by the action of several biotic and abiotic factors. While much of this variation is seen in comparisons between different sites or populations, there is also substantial variation in shell morphology among individuals living side by side. We investigate the effect of trematode parasitism on both intra- as well as inter-site variation in the morphology of the New Zealand whelk Cominella glandiformis. We found that both infection by the trematode Curtuteria australis and site of origin had significant effects on several morphometric dimensions of the snail shell, with some interactions between the two factors. On its own, infection by C. australis accounted for 20 to 60% of the variance in shell morphology, depending on the dimension measured. Infected snails also had smoother shells, with less prominent ridges, than their uninfected conspecifics. Other trematode species, infecting whelks at much lower prevalence, also had impacts on shell morphology, but not necessarily in the same direction as C. australis. Overall, parasitism may be an important factor in explaining intra- and inter-site variation in snail phenotype, with potential repercussions for snail populations and their interactions with other community members.

Keywords

parasitismshell morphologygastropodCominella glandiformisCurtuteria australis
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 89 , Issue 3 , May 2009 , pp. 563 - 568
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2008

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