title: Field and laboratory studies of Ophryoglena sp. (Ciliata: Ophryoglenidae) infection in zebra mussels, Dreissena polymorpha (Bivalvia: Dreissenidae).
abstract: This study, conducted in the Dnieper-Bug Canal in Belarus, is the first to monitor the seasonal (June-November) dynamics of infection with the parasitic ciliate Ophryoglena sp. in a zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) population. Mean population prevalence and intensity of infection varied, respectively, from 11 to 62% and from 0.9 to 24.1 ciliates/mussel. Mean prevalence was highly correlated with mussel length in mussels <20 mm (R(2)=0.97) and was lower in larger mussels. Mean infection intensity in mussels 1-25 mm long was similarly correlated with their size (R=0.98), reached a maximum in the 20-25 mm size-class, and then sharply decreased, thus providing evidence, albeit limited, that high intensity of infection might be lethal. Transinfection of zebra mussels by Ophryoglena sp. was achieved in the laboratory-a first for a protozoan parasite of D. polymorpha; from an initial complete lack of infection, mean prevalence and intensity rose, respectively, to 86.7% and 8.3 ciliates/mussel.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Stephen F. Austin State University, P.O. Box 13003, SFA Station, Nacogdoches, TX 75962-3003, USA. akaratayev@sfasu.edu
authors.forename: Alexander Y
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Karatayev
authors.forename: Lyubov E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Burlakova
authors.forename: Daniel P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Molloy
authors.forename: Lyudmila K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Volkova
authors.forename: Vladimir V
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Volosyuk
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D049872:Bivalvia / Q000382:microbiology*; D016798:Ciliophora; D016770:Ciliophora Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D002094:Republic of Belarus / Q000453:epidemiology