Journal
PARASITOLOGY RESEARCH
Volume 114, Issue 5, Pages 1875-1886Publisher
SPRINGER
DOI: 10.1007/s00436-015-4375-5
Keywords
Aquaculture; Treatment; Asian sea bass; Monogenea; Neobenedenia; Egg hatching
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Funding
- Australian Society for Parasitology (ASP) Student Travel Award granted
- James Cook University, a National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility (NCCARF) Marine Adaptation Network Honours
- NCCARF [NATC LI97]
- Fisheries Research and Development Corporation-Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency (FRDC-DCEE) [2010/521]
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Effective parasite management can be achieved through strategically timed treatments that break the life cycle. We examined the effects of temperature (2 A degrees C increments from 22 to 34 A degrees C) and salinity (0, 11, 22, 35, 40 aEuro degrees) on the life cycle (embryonation period, hatching success, oncomiracidia (larvae) longevity, infection success, and time to sexual maturity) of Neobenedenia sp. (Monogenea: Capsalidae), a harmful ectoparasite of farmed marine fishes. Experiments were conducted in controlled conditions in the laboratory. The life cycle was faster in warm, high saline conditions compared to cooler conditions (10-13 days between 26-32 A degrees C, 40 aEuro degrees; 15-16 days between 22-24 A degrees C at 40 aEuro degrees). Warm seawater and high saline conditions (24-32 A degrees C, 35-40 aEuro degrees) improved egg hatching success, reduced time to sexual maturity, and resulted in parasites reaching sexual maturity at a larger size (at 30-32 A degrees C) compared to cooler conditions (22 A degrees C). In contrast, cool, hypersaline conditions (22 A degrees C, 40 aEuro degrees) increased oncomiracidia longevity and infection success. Linear and quantile regression models were used to construct an interactive, online parasite management interface to enable strategic treatment of parasites in aquaculture corresponding to observed temperature and salinity variation on farms in the tropics. It was recommended that farmers treat their stock more frequently during summer (27-31 A degrees C) when parasites can complete their life cycle more quickly. Nevertheless, farmers should be aware of the potential for increased Neobenedenia sp. infections during winter months (21-26 A degrees C) due to increased infection success.
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