Reaching the steady state: 30 years of Anguillicola crassus infection of European eel, Anguilla anguilla L., in Northern Germany

Autor: Unger, P; Schmidt, J; Dorow, M; Möller, S; Palm, HW
In:

Parasitology

Bandangabe: 151
Auflage: 3
Gesamttitelundnr1: Reaching the steady state: 30 years of Anguillicola crassus infection of European eel, Anguilla anguilla L., in Northern Germany
ISBN: 0031-1820 & 1469-8161
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0031182024000039
Seite: 300 - 308
Jahr: 2024

Einordung:
Institut: Professur Aquakultur und Sea-Ranching

Abstract:
A 30 years long data series on the infection dynamics of European eel (Anguilla anguilla L.)
with the non-native invasive nematode Anguillicola crassus Kuwahara, Niimi & Hagaki, 1974
is presented. Parasite burden was evaluated for 30 years in inland and coastal waters in
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania from 1991 to 2020. The total prevalence, mean intensity
and damage status of the swim bladders were very high during the first decade (1991
2000), and significantly decreased in both marine and freshwater eel populations in the fol
lowing decades (2001–2010, 2011–2020). The parasite intensity of eels in coastal waters
was significantly lower compared with the freshwater systems (61.3% vs 79.5% in the first dec
ade), indicating the vulnerability of the parasites to brackish water conditions and the fact that
the life cycle of A. crassus cannot be completed under high saline conditions. Eel caught in the
western part of the Baltic Sea (west of Darss sill) had the lowest mean infection (51.8% in first
decade) compared to the eastern part with 63.8%. Thus, besides different infection patterns
caused by the environmental conditions, a temporal trend towards a reduced parasite intensity
and a more balanced parasite–host relationship developed in the 30 years of interaction after
the first invasion. Possible reasons and mechanisms for the observed trends in parasite–host
interactions are discussed.

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