title: Population dynamics of the water mite Unionicola arcuata (Unionicolidae) in the freshwater bivalve Cristaria plicata (Unionidae) in Poyang Lake, eastern China.
abstract: Population dynamics of the water mite Unionicola arcuata were investigated in the freshwater bivalve Cristaria plicata during the period from January to December 2002 in Poyang Lake, East China. A pattern of seasonal variation was observed, with prevalence and abundance peaking in early spring and autumn. The number of mites in individual hosts was significantly correlated with the size, but not with the sex, of bivalves. The change in infection level of mites on different infection sites in C. plicata was significant, with >58% of the mites found on the outer and inner gills, indicating that U. arcuata shows site preference.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology and Laboratory of Fish Diseases, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430072, PR China.
authors.forename: Chungen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nie
authors.forename: Zhimin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D000053:Acari / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D049872:Bivalvia / Q000469:parasitology*; D049628:Body Size; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D005618:Fresh Water; D005880:Gills / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D011157:Population Dynamics; D015995:Prevalence; D012621:Seasons; D012737:Sex Factors; D013997:Time Factors