New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research abstracts
Use of the introduced bivalve, Musculista senhousia, by
generalist parasites of native New Zealand bivalves
Aroha Miller
Bio-Protection and Ecology Division
Lincoln University
P.O. Box 84
Lincoln 7647, New Zealand
email: millera4@lincoln.ac.nz
Graeme J. Inglis
National Centre for Aquatic Biodiversity and Biosecurity
National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Limited
P.O. Box 8602
Christchurch, New Zealand
Robert Poulin
Department of Zoology
University of Otago
P.O. Box 56
Dunedin, New Zealand
Abstract Introduced species are often thought to do
well because of an escape from natural enemies. However, once
established, they can acquire a modest assemblage of enemies, including
parasites, in their new range. Here we quantified prevalence and
effects of infection with copepods (family Myicolidae) and pea crabs (Pinnotheres
novaezelandiae), in three mussel species, the non-native Musculista
senhousia, and two native mussels, Perna canaliculus and
Xenostrobus pulex, at Bucklands Beach, Auckland, New Zealand.
Copepod prevalence was highest in X. pulex (17.9%), whereas
pea crab prevalence was highest in P. canaliculus (33.6%).
Both parasites infected M. senhousia, but at a much lower
prevalence. Dry tissue weight was significantly lower in P.
canaliculus infected with pea crabs. In addition, we experimentally
investigated host species selection by pea crabs. In an experimental
apparatus, pea crabs showed a significant attraction to P.
canaliculus, but not so for X. pulex or M. senhousia.
When the mussels were presented in combination, pea crabs showed a weak
attraction for X. pulex. Pea crab attraction to M. senhousia
was not significant. It appears that the introduced M. senhousia largely
escapes the detrimental effects of infection with either parasite
species compared with native mussels occurring in sympatry.
Keywords non-native species; Perna canaliculus;
Xenostrobus pulex; mussels; copepod; pea crab
New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 2008,
Vol. 42: 143–151
0028–8330/08/4202–0143 © The Royal Society
of New Zealand 2008
M07047: Online publication date 29 April
2008; Received 3 October 2007; accepted 19
December
2007
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