Citation:
Dunn , A M , Hatcher , M J , Smith , J E , Ironside , J E & Rollinson , D 2008 , ' Two species of feminizing microsporidian parasite coexist in populations of Gammarus duebeni ' Journal of Evolutionary Biology , pp. 467-473 .
Abstract:
The amphipod crustacean Gammarus duebeni hosts two species of vertically transmitted microsporidian parasites, Nosema granulosis and Microsporidium sp. A. Here it is demonstrated that these co-occurring parasite species both cause infected females to produce female-biased broods. A survey of European G. duebeni populations demonstrates that these two parasites co-occur in six of 10 populations. These findings contrast with the theoretical prediction that two vertically transmitted feminizing parasites should not coexist in a panmictic population of susceptible hosts at equilibrium. Possible explanations for the co-occurrence of the two feminizing microsporidia in G. duebeni include the recent invasion of a new parasite, horizontal transmission of one or both parasites and the spread of alleles for resistance to the dominant parasite in host populations.
Description:
J. E. Ironside, J. E. Smith, M. J. Hatcher, D. Rollinson & A. M. Dunn (2003). Two species of feminizing microsporidian parasite coexist in populations of Gammarus duebeni. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 16 (3), 467-473.