Impact of marine introduced parasites: examples from bopyrid isopods infesting decapod crustaceans

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24510328
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Resource conservation science
• Research Institution: Kochi University
• Principal Investigator: ITANI Gyo 高知大学, 教育研究部人文社会科学系, 准教授 (10403867)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 外来種 / 寄生虫 / 宿主特異性 / 生活史

Outline of Final Research Achievements

On the coasts along the Eastern North Pacific, high prevalence of introduced Orthione griffinis infestations decreased many local populations of the host mud shrimp as well as the diverse symbiotic fauna in the host burrows. In this study, parasitic ecology of various species of bopyrid isopods were studied. All the studied species were suggested to infest the juvenile shrimp and grow with the host, whereas O. griffinis infest adult shrimp. Behavior of bopyrid isopods during host ecdyses and male-to-female sex change were analyzed. Symbiotic ecology of commensal animals using upogebiid shrimp burrows were also reported.

Free Research Field

海洋生態学