New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research abstracts

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Do parasites affect burrowing depth and habitat choice of sand hoppers, Talorchestia quoyana (Amphipoda: Talitridae)?

Rohan J. C. Currey

Department of Marine Science
University of Otago
P.O. Box 56
Dunedin, New Zealand
email: rohan.currey@stonebow.otago.ac.nz

Robert Poulin

Department of Zoology
University of Otago
P.O. Box 56
Dunedin, New Zealand

Abstract Talorchestia quoyana is the most abundant sand hopper (Amphipoda: Talitridae) on New Zealand’s beaches. These supralittoral detritivores are host to a parasitic mermithid nematode, Thaumamermis zealandica. In other systems, mermithids have been found to manipulate host behaviour to facilitate the continuation of their lifecycle. The aim of the present study was to determine if the burrowing behaviour of T. quoyana showed evidence of manipulation by T. zealandica. Two studies were conducted to assess the spatial and temporal patterns in sand hopper burrowing under field and laboratory conditions. Sand hopper burrowing behaviour showed considerable variation, related to sand hopper length, sand hopper distribution, month of collection, and experimental moisture conditions. The presence of parasites was not a significant factor in determining sand hopper burrowing behaviour, a result contrary to previous laboratory findings for this system. This study illustrates the benefits of combining both field and laboratory experiments to evaluate whether or not parasites alter host behaviour.

Keywords sand hopper; talitrid amphipod; Talorchestia quoyana; mermithid nematode; Thaumamermis zealandica; host manipulation; burrowing behaviour

New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 2006, Vol. 40: 509–518
0028–8330/06/4004–0509     © The Royal Society of New Zealand 2006
M06012; Online publication date 28 September 2006. Received 16 March 2006; accepted 5 June 2006

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