New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research abstracts
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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