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The population dynamics of metacercariae of Apatemon gracilis (Trematoda: Digenea) in three species of lake-dwelling leeches

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2009

S. M. Spelling  and
J. O. Young
S. M. Spelling
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, University of Liverpool, P.O. Box 147, Liverpool L69 3BX
J. O. Young
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, University of Liverpool, P.O. Box 147, Liverpool L69 3BX
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Summary

Monthly samples of the leeches Erpobdella octoculata, Glossiphonia complanata and Helobdella stagnalis were taken over a two-year period from an eutrophic, English lake to detect metacercariae of the trematode, Apatemon gracilis. In each cohort of each of the three leeches, prevalence was low in young individuals, rose to a peak in autumn/winter, and then declined until the cohort had almost died out; in E. octoculata and H. stagnalis a final brief increase occurred. Mean intensity and relative density values followed a similar seasonal pattern of change to that of prevalence in these last two species, but in G. complanata values fluctuated irregularly with no distinct pattern. The frequency distribution of the parasite in G. complanata was highly over-dispersed, but less so in the other two species. Infected E. octoculata reached sexual maturity. The parasite reduced egg production in G. complanata and H. stagnalis, but only by maximum values of 2·5 and 9% respectively. This reduction in fecundity is low compared to the subsequent high mortality, at 95% or more, of newly recruited young from as yet unidentified causes. Parasite-related host mortality was difficult to assess in young leeches, but there was some evidence for its occurrence in older leeches of E. octoculata and H. stagnalis. However, this is unlikely to play a prominent role in the control and regulation of lacustrine leech populations.

Type
Research Article
Information
Parasitology , Volume 93 , Issue 3 , December 1986 , pp. 517 - 530
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1986

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