Animal Sciences Commons^™

Relationship Between Tissue Carotenoid Concentrations In The Pacific Mole Crab, Emerita Analoga, And Parasitism By The Acanthocephalan, Profilicollis Altmani, Whitney Melroy

Biological Sciences

Acanthocephalan worms infect two hosts to reach full development. Some species have been demonstrated to change their intermediate host’s behavior or coloration to increase the likelihood they will reach the final host. The pacific mole crab, Emerita analoga, is commonly parasitized by Profilicollis altmani along the Pacific coast of North and South America, but the impact of parasitism on the crab intermediate host is unclear. We investigated whether P. altmani alters the concentration of dietary carotenoids present in E. analoga tissues and if the parasite may also acquire pigments normally allocated to the host. Fifty eight gravid female crabs were …