The effect of octopaminergic compounds on the behaviour and transmission of Gyrodactylus.

• Published in: Parasites & Vectors
• Main Authors: Brooker, Adam J, Grano Maldonado, Mayra I, Irving, Stephen, Bron, James E, Longshaw, Matthew, Shinn, Andrew P
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: BioMed Central 2011
• Subjects: Salmo salar
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1186/1756-3305-4-207; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22032413; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3212917/

The high transmission potential of species belonging to the monogenean parasite genus Gyrodactylus, coupled with their high fecundity, allows them to rapidly colonise new hosts and to increase in number. One gyrodactylid, Gyrodactylus salaris Malmberg, 1957, has been responsible for devastation of Altantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) populations in a number of Norwegian rivers. Current methods of eradicating G. salaris from river systems centre around the use of non-specific biocides, such as rotenone and aluminium sulphate.Although transmission routes in gyrodactylids have been studied extensively, the behaviour of individual parasites has received little attention. Specimens of Gyrodactylus gasterostei Gläser, 1974 and G. arcuatus Bychowsky, 1933, were collected from the skin of their host, the three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus L.), and permitted to attach to the substrate. The movements of individual parasites were recorded and analysed.