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Impact Of The Parasitic Nematode Anguillicoloides Crassus On American Eels (Anguilla Rostrata) In Chesapeake Bay, Zoemma Taudel Warshafsky

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

American eels are infected by the introduced parasitic nematode, Anguillicoloides crassus, which can cause significant damage to their swimbladders. Despite the high prevalence and severe damage caused by A. crassus, the population level effects on American eels are not well understood. The prevalence and swimbladder damage in young glass eels and elvers are relatively unstudied, despite the potential for this parasite to cause tissue damage. Additionally, the effects of environmental, temporal, and spatial variables have been debated in previous studies without consensus. Also, the potential for eels to recover from infection and tissue damage has been speculated but not definitively …