Literaturdatenbank
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Kruep, J. M. E. (2013). Microhabitat choice as a function of ectoparasitism: Basking behavior of chrysemys picta bellii in the presence of placobdella spp. Unpublished thesis , University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana.
Added by: Admin (06 Jan 2014 18:24:45 UTC) |
| Resource type: Thesis/Dissertation BibTeX citation key: anon2013.15299 View all bibliographic details  |
Categories: General Keywords: Chrysemys picta, Emydidae, Habitat - habitat, Nordamerika - North America, Parasiten - parasites, Physiologie - physiology, Schildkröten - turtles + tortoises, Verhalten - ethology Creators: Kruep Publisher: University of Notre Dame (South Bend, Indiana) |
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The “desiccating leech” hypothesis proposes that differences in ectoparasite load between basking and bottom-dwelling freshwater turtle species occur because leeches abandon hosts that spend lengthy periods of time basking out of water and exposed to the sun. However, recent research has put this hypothesis under scrutiny, instead suggesting that leeches have simply evolved to avoid certain turtle species entirely based on the more favorable host environment provided by bottom-dwelling turtles. In order to further examine the validity of the “desiccating leech” hypothesis, the influence of Placobdella spp. leeches on the basking behavior of Western painted turtles (Chrysemys picta bellii) was investigated through a series of 3-day basking trials. Turtles were randomly assigned to three different treatment tanks: control, Placobdella spp., or Macrobdella decora (inert organism control). Results of an ANOVA indicated that no significant differences in basking behavior between treatments were observed over the course of the study. Baseline ectoparasite load for each turtle was also taken into consideration. Results of a linear regression analysis complemented the comparison across treatments; no significant relationship existed between baseline ectoparasite load and basking habits. These results support the idea that Placobdella spp. have instead evolved to selectively parasitize bottom-dwelling turtle species, regardless of individual basking behaviors.
Added by: Admin |