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Sea lice escape predation on their host.
B M Connors1, M Krkosek, L M Dill
1Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, Canada V5A 1S6. bconnors@sfu.ca
Biology Letters
|June 19, 2008
Summary
Sea lice can survive salmon predation by transferring to predators, a process biased towards male lice. This highlights potential impacts on marine food webs and aquaculture.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Parasitology
- Aquaculture
Background:
- Parasites face predation risks from their host's predators.
- Understanding parasite responses to host predation is crucial but understudied.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how sea lice (Lepeophtheirus salmonis) respond to predation on juvenile salmon hosts.
- To examine the consequences of sea lice trophic transmission to predators.
Main Methods:
- Wild juvenile salmon parasitized with sea lice were exposed to salmonid predators (coho smolts, cut-throat trout).
- Observed sea lice behavior and transmission events during predator-prey interactions.
Main Results:
- Sea lice successfully escaped predation by transferring to predators in approximately 70% of trials.
- Trophic transmission of sea lice to predators was significantly biased towards males.
- Behavioral and morphological constraints likely explain the male bias in transmission.
Conclusions:
- Sea lice can be transmitted up marine food webs via predation events.
- This trophic transmission has implications for sea louse population dynamics.
- Predatory salmonid health may be impacted by sea louse acquisition.
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