The Effects of the Parasite Probopyrus Pandalicola (Packard, 1879) (Isopoda, Bopyridae) on the Behavior, Transparent Camouflage, and Predators of Palaemonetes Pugio Holthuis, 1949 (Decapoda, Palaemonidae)

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2015

Publication Title

Crustaceana

DOI

10.1163/15685403-00003501

ISSN

1568-5403

Abstract

The bopyrid isopod Probopyrus pandalicola (Packard, 1879) is a large, noticeable, hematophagous ectoparasite of palaemonid shrimps, including the daggerblade grass shrimp Palaemonetes pugio Holthuis, 1949. Bopyrids affect grass shrimp physiology and may also affect predator-prey dynamics. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the isopod affected the behavior and/or camouflage of grass shrimp, thereby altering the predation preferences of the mummichog Fundulus heteroclitus (Linnaeus, 1766). To determine whether the isopod affected predator preference through behavioral and/or camouflage alterations, paired combinations of unparasitized, parasitized, and marked shrimp were presented to mummichogs. One branchiostegite of some of the unparasitized shrimp was marked with black paint to mimic the bopyrid parasite. Mummichog predation preference and shrimp behavior immediately prior to predation events were recorded. All shrimp behavior was classified as motionless, walking, swimming, or backward thrusting. Immediately prior to predation, parasitized shrimp swam more (p=0.0477) and backward thrusted less (p=0.0272) than unparasitized shrimp. Mummichogs exhibited a preference for the more active shrimp (80.7% of shrimp; p

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