Are the Immunocompetence and the Presence of Metazoan Parasites in Cyprinid Fish Affected by Reproductive Efforts of Cyprinid Fish?

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Authors

ROHLENOVÁ Karolína VETEŠNÍKOVÁ ŠIMKOVÁ Andrea

Year of publication 2010
Type Article in Periodical
Magazine / Source Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology
MU Faculty or unit

Faculty of Science

Citation
Web http://downloads.hindawi.com/journals/jbb/2010/418382.pdf
Field Immunology
Keywords fish immunocompetence parasitism 11-ketotestosterone reproduction
Description Each organism has the limited resources of energy that is distributed among important life traits. A trade-off between immune response and other physiological demands of organism especially costly reproduction is expected. Leuciscus cephalus, the cyprinid fish, was investigated during three periods varying in reproductive investment. We tested whether a potentially limited investment in immunity during the breeding is associated with higher susceptibility to the metazoan parasites. Following the immunocompetence handicap and sperm protection hypotheses, males expressing more elaborated sexual ornamentation should produce better quality sperm and be more parasitized. We found that reproductive investments in fish play an important role for energy allocation into somatic condition, immunity, and reproduction. The immune parameters including respiratory burst and leukocyte count were higher in breeding; however, parasite species richness and abundance appeared low. Males investing more in spawning tubercles reached high spermatocrite and were more parasitized by digeneans.
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