Comparison of gastropod mollusc (Apogastropoda: Hydrobiidae) habitats in two crater lakes in Nicaragua

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Main Author: Jeffrey K. McCrary
Format: Artículo científico
Language:en
Published: Universidad de Costa Rica 2008
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author Jeffrey K. McCrary
author_facet Jeffrey K. McCrary
contents Comparison of gastropod mollusc (Apogastropoda: Hydrobiidae) habitats in two crater lakes in Nicaragua Jeffrey K. McCrary Henry Madsen Liza González Inti Luna Lorenzo J. López Biología Chara cichlid tilapia trematode emergent disease The aquatic gastropod mollusc, Pyrgophorus coronatus, may perform an important role in the transmission of an emergent ocular pathology among fishes in Lake Apoyo, Nicaragua. This disease emerged after an introduction of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and the subsequent loss of Chara sp. beds in the lake. We compared the mollusc population densities in three habitats (sandy/muddy substrates, rocks, and Chara vegetation) at varying depths (1.5, 10, 20, and 30 m) in two volcanic crater lakes in Nicaragua: Lake Apoyo and Lake Xiloa, where lower numbers of affected fishes were found and tilapia has not been introduced. Duplicate samples at 1.5 m depth were taken in each habitat monthly for a year, and triplicate samples for bathymetric analysis of snail populations were performed during August, 2005. Samples of fixed surface area were filtered in a 0.4 cm size screen and live snails were counted from each sample. The preferred snail habitat in both lakes, Chara beds, was vastly reduced in Lake Apoyo via consumption by introduced Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Structureless sandy substrates (mean ± standard error 3.1±1.3 ind/m²) had lower population densities than other habitats in Lake Xiloá (rocks 590.9±185.3 ind/m²; vegetation 3 686.5±698.2 ind/m2; ANOVA I, p<0.01 in both cases) but this difference was attenuated in Lake Apoyo (sand 384.4±111.1 ind/m2; rocks 1 480.4±384.8 ind/m²; 0.01<p<0.05), where the snails on sandy bottoms were mostly embedded in filamentous algae coating this substrate. Snail population densities in Chara were lower at 20 m than more shallow depths in both lakes. Chara was not found at 1.5 m depth in Lake Apoyo, and was not present at 30 m depth in either lake. Shell lengths in rocky substrate in Lake Apoyo (3.62±0.12 mm) were greater than in Lake Xiloá (2.39±0.12 mm), suggesting differential snail predation levels in the lakes (p<0.005). Snail populations increased by 67 % inside exclusion cages in sandy substrates in Lake Apoyo (paired t-test, p<0.05), demonstrating the importance of foraging pressure on snail populations. Snail populations in open cages, on the other hand, were reduced by 23 % (p<0.05), suggesting the importance of subacuatic structure in feeding areas for molluscivorous fishes. We found a significant preference toward Chara by the snails (p<0.05) and significant foraging pressure on them (p<0.05) in sandy/muddy substrates. The disruption of Chara by introduced tilapias in Lake Apoyo may play a role in the emergence of ocular pathologies in the lake. Rev. Biol. Trop. 56 (1): 113-120. Epub 2008 March 31. 2008 artículo científico 0034-7744 https://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=44918831007 en http://www.redalyc.org/revista.oa?id=449 Revista de Biología Tropical application/pdf Universidad de Costa Rica Revista de Biología Tropical (Costa Rica) Num.1 Vol.56
format Artículo científico
id redalyc_44918831007
institution Redalyc
language en
publishDate 2008
publisher Universidad de Costa Rica
spellingShingle Comparison of gastropod mollusc (Apogastropoda: Hydrobiidae) habitats in two crater lakes in Nicaragua
Jeffrey K. McCrary
Biología
Chara
cichlid
tilapia
trematode
emergent disease
Comparison of gastropod mollusc (Apogastropoda: Hydrobiidae) habitats in two crater lakes in Nicaragua Jeffrey K. McCrary Henry Madsen Liza González Inti Luna Lorenzo J. López Biología Chara cichlid tilapia trematode emergent disease The aquatic gastropod mollusc, Pyrgophorus coronatus, may perform an important role in the transmission of an emergent ocular pathology among fishes in Lake Apoyo, Nicaragua. This disease emerged after an introduction of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and the subsequent loss of Chara sp. beds in the lake. We compared the mollusc population densities in three habitats (sandy/muddy substrates, rocks, and Chara vegetation) at varying depths (1.5, 10, 20, and 30 m) in two volcanic crater lakes in Nicaragua: Lake Apoyo and Lake Xiloa, where lower numbers of affected fishes were found and tilapia has not been introduced. Duplicate samples at 1.5 m depth were taken in each habitat monthly for a year, and triplicate samples for bathymetric analysis of snail populations were performed during August, 2005. Samples of fixed surface area were filtered in a 0.4 cm size screen and live snails were counted from each sample. The preferred snail habitat in both lakes, Chara beds, was vastly reduced in Lake Apoyo via consumption by introduced Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Structureless sandy substrates (mean ± standard error 3.1±1.3 ind/m²) had lower population densities than other habitats in Lake Xiloá (rocks 590.9±185.3 ind/m²; vegetation 3 686.5±698.2 ind/m2; ANOVA I, p<0.01 in both cases) but this difference was attenuated in Lake Apoyo (sand 384.4±111.1 ind/m2; rocks 1 480.4±384.8 ind/m²; 0.01<p<0.05), where the snails on sandy bottoms were mostly embedded in filamentous algae coating this substrate. Snail population densities in Chara were lower at 20 m than more shallow depths in both lakes. Chara was not found at 1.5 m depth in Lake Apoyo, and was not present at 30 m depth in either lake. Shell lengths in rocky substrate in Lake Apoyo (3.62±0.12 mm) were greater than in Lake Xiloá (2.39±0.12 mm), suggesting differential snail predation levels in the lakes (p<0.005). Snail populations increased by 67 % inside exclusion cages in sandy substrates in Lake Apoyo (paired t-test, p<0.05), demonstrating the importance of foraging pressure on snail populations. Snail populations in open cages, on the other hand, were reduced by 23 % (p<0.05), suggesting the importance of subacuatic structure in feeding areas for molluscivorous fishes. We found a significant preference toward Chara by the snails (p<0.05) and significant foraging pressure on them (p<0.05) in sandy/muddy substrates. The disruption of Chara by introduced tilapias in Lake Apoyo may play a role in the emergence of ocular pathologies in the lake. Rev. Biol. Trop. 56 (1): 113-120. Epub 2008 March 31. 2008 artículo científico 0034-7744 https://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=44918831007 en http://www.redalyc.org/revista.oa?id=449 Revista de Biología Tropical application/pdf Universidad de Costa Rica Revista de Biología Tropical (Costa Rica) Num.1 Vol.56
title Comparison of gastropod mollusc (Apogastropoda: Hydrobiidae) habitats in two crater lakes in Nicaragua
topic Biología
Chara
cichlid
tilapia
trematode
emergent disease
url https://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=44918831007