Parasite fecundity decreases with increasing parasite load in the salmon louse Lepeophtheirus salmonis infecting Atlantic salmon Salmo salar.
Aggregation is common amongst parasites, where a small number of hosts carry a large proportion of parasites. This could result in density-dependent effects on parasite fitness. In a laboratory study, we explored whether parasite load affected parasite fecundity and survival, using ectoparasitic salmon lice (Lepeophtheirus salmonis Krøyer, 1837) infecting Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) hosts. We found a significant reduction in fecundity with higher parasite load, but no significant effect on survival. Together with previous findings, this suggests that stronger competition amongst female lice under high parasite load is a more likely explanation than increased host immune response.
Department of Biology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
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Ugelvik
Department of Biology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
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Skorping
Department of Biology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.|Ecologie et Dynamique des Systèmes Anthropisés (FRE 3498), CNRS/Université de Picardie Jules Verne, Amiens, France.
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Mennerat
D000818:Animals; D033342:Copepoda / Q000502:physiology*; D004478:Ectoparasitic Infestations / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D008136:Longevity; D059208:Parasite Load; D020317:Salmo salar

Lepeophtheirus salmonis
; density dependence; ectoparasite; fecundity; survival