Meeting Abstract

111.5  Tuesday, Jan. 7 09:00  High Gill Parasite Abundance and its Effects on Behavior and Morphology of Fundulus heteroclitus SANTIAGO BASS, C.; Kaplan University, Ft. Lauderdale csantiagobass@kaplan.edu

Parasites have been shown to affect various aspects of host functioning including behavior, morphology, growth, fecundity and survival. Although parasite-induced behavioral changes have been described for several parasite-host associations, none have been reported for fish harboring severe trematode infections in the gills. Nor have any studies been done linking morphological changes in the gills of fish to parasite infection. Fundulus heteroclitus from several areas of the Hackensack Meadowlands (a degraded brackish marsh system in northeastern NJ) were found to have gills that were highly infected with digenean trematode cysts (Ascocotyle sp.) compared to other sites. Significant differences in parasite density and species composition were observed among sites. It was also found that fish from highly infected populations spent significantly more time at the water’s surface, exhibited significantly more conspicuous behaviors (e.g., scratching, jerking), and had significantly more gill morphological abnormalities than fish from less parasitized populations.