The role of season, habitat, host age, and sex on gill parasites of Ambloplites rupestris (Raf.)

Abstract

One thousand and forty-five rock bass (Ambloplites rupestis (Raf.)) were collected from May 1970 through October 1972 from the Bay of Quinte, Ontario. During the same sampling period, 1043 specimens of the same host were collected from West Lake, Prince Edward County, Ontario.Data were collected on three groups of gill parasites, Monogenea (four species), Copepoda (three species), and glochidia (one species). The data, treated synecologically, were analysed using a two-factor ANOVA and Duncan's multiple range test. The roles of season, habitat, host age, and sex on parasite load were analysed.Host sex was found to have no effect on the three groups of parasites. The abundance of parasites increased with host age (P < 0.001). A marked seasonal effect was noted for all three groups of parasites (P < 0.001). A eutrophic habitat, West Lake, was found significantly more favourable (P < 0.001) for Monogenea, while an oligotrophic habitat, Glenora, was clearly more favourable (P < 0.001) for Copepoda.