title: Cooling water of power plant creates "hot spots" for tropical fishes and parasites.
abstract: Thermally altered water bodies can function as "hot spots" where non-native species are establishing self-sustaining populations beyond their tropical and subtropical native regions. Whereas many tropical fish species have been found in these habitats, the introduction of non-native parasites often remains undetected. Here, n = 77 convict cichlids (Amatitlania nigrofasciata) were sampled by electro-fishing at two sites from a thermally altered stream in Germany and examined for parasite fauna and feeding ecology. Stomach content analysis suggests an opportunistic feeding strategy of A. nigrofasciata: while plant material dominated the diet at the warm water inlet (∼30 °C), relative contributions of insects, plants, and crustaceans were balanced 3 km downstream (∼27 °C). The most abundant non-native parasite species was the tropical nematode Camallanus cotti with P = 11.90 % and P = 80.00 % at the inlet and further downstream, respectively. Additionally, nematode larvae of Anguillicoloides crassus and one specimen of the subtropical species Bothriocephalus acheilognathi were isolated. A. nigrofasciata was also highly infected with the native parasite Acanthocephalus anguillae, which could be linked to high numbers of the parasite's intermediate host Asellus aquaticus. The aim of this study was to highlight the risk and consequences of the release and establishment of ornamental fish species for the introduction and spread of non-indigenous metazoan parasites using the convict cichlid as a model species. Furthermore, the spread of non-native parasites into adjacent fish communities needs to be addressed in the future as first evidence of Camallanus cotti in native fish species was also found.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Goethe-University, Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60438, Frankfurt/M., Germany. sebastian.emde@senckenberg.de.
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Emde
authors.affiliation: Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Goethe-University, Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60438, Frankfurt/M., Germany.
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kochmann
authors.affiliation: Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Goethe-University, Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60438, Frankfurt/M., Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kuhn
authors.affiliation: Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Goethe-University, Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60438, Frankfurt/M., Germany.
authors.forename: Dorian D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Dörge
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Plath
authors.affiliation: Sektion Ichthyologie, Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig, Adenauerallee 160, 53113, Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Friedrich W
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Miesen
authors.affiliation: Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Goethe-University, Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60438, Frankfurt/M., Germany.
authors.forename: Sven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Klimpel
mesh_terms: D000049:Acanthocephala / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000818:Animals; D002589:Cestoda / Q000302:isolation & purification; D023681:Cichlids / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000502:physiology; D004435:Eating; D005260:Female; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000635:transmission; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000737:chemistry / Q000469:parasitology; D005766:Gastrointestinal Contents / Q000737:chemistry; D005858:Germany; D006374:Helminthiasis, Animal / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000635:transmission; D006358:Hot Temperature; D058865:Introduced Species; D008297:Male; D011210:Power Plants; D017174:Spirurida / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*
keywords: Acanthocephalus anguillae; Amatitlania nigrofasciata; Camallanus cotti; Invasive species; Thermal alteration; Tropical fish