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Tenure of individual larval trematode infections in an estuarine gastropod

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 September 2003

Lawrence A. Curtis
Lawrence A. Curtis*
Affiliation:
University Parallel Program, Department of Biological Sciences, and Graduate College of Marine Studies, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware 19716, USA
*
*Correspondence address: Cape Henlopen Laboratory, College of Marine Studies, University of Delaware, Lewes, Delaware 19958, USA, E-mail: lcurtis@udel.edu
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Abstract

Ilyanassa obsoleta (Mollusca: Gastropoda) is an abundant inhabitant of salt marshes and tidal flats on the east coast of North America. Populations of this snail may be heavily infected by larval trematodes. Three species were observed in this work, Himasthla quissetensis, Lepocreadium setiferoides, and Zoogonus rubellus. Mostly as single-species infections, all occupy snail tissues as parthenitae that produce cercariae, which are released from the snail to infect the next host. By periodically testing snails for cercarial emission, single-species infections are here shown to persist over six summers and double-species infections are also noted to be long-lived. Among the 32 snails followed, 25 released the same (or no) cercariae throughout observation periods averaging three years. The other seven indicated infection changes, but only two of these are judged to reflect actual changes. The probability that a snail changed infection status in this study is thus 2.1% y−1. Ilyanassa obsoleta individuals, and apparently their trematode infections, can persist for decades. Because species colonize and get evicted infrequently, sets of trematode species infecting I. obsoleta individuals (infracommunities) are concluded to be isolationist in character.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 83 , Issue 5 , October 2003 , pp. 1047 - 1051
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2003

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