According to the enemy release hypothesis, one of the reasons for the successful establishment of non-indigenous species in a new habitat is the libera- tion from natural enemies, and among them the parasites. The rapid spread of the Red Sea/Indo-Pacific fish Fistu- laria commersonii in the Mediterranean Sea, which in just 7 years (2000–2007) invaded nearly all of the basin, gives an opportunity to study the dynamics of the host and its parasites in its recently invaded range. Informa- tion on the parasites of this fish in its original habitat is quite scarce. The present study describes the metazoan parasites of 40 specimens of F. commersonii (total length range 73–107 cm) caught in the Mediterranean Sea (Sar- dinia, Tunisia, Libya) from 2005 to 2015. The parasite fauna of this migrant in the recently invaded range is mainly a combination of generalist juvenile/larval spe- cies (probably acquired in the new habitat) with some of its adult natural parasites (probably co-introduced during migration). The results indicate that a non-indigenous species is not always released from its natural parasite and that its success is not simply associated with such liberation. Actually, the parasite fauna of F. commer- sonii increased along its migration path, acquiring new generalist species, but also conserving a subset of natu- ral parasites. These data suggest caution in the uncritical acceptance of the enemy release hypothesis, because the different phases of the invasion process and establish- ment of a non-indigenous species appear to be related to a combination of ecological, physiological and behav- ioural factors.

Parasites and Lessepsian migration of Fistularia commersonii (Osteichthyes, Fistulariidae): shadows and light on the enemy release hypothesis

FOLLESA, MARIA CRISTINA;
2016-01-01

Abstract

According to the enemy release hypothesis, one of the reasons for the successful establishment of non-indigenous species in a new habitat is the libera- tion from natural enemies, and among them the parasites. The rapid spread of the Red Sea/Indo-Pacific fish Fistu- laria commersonii in the Mediterranean Sea, which in just 7 years (2000–2007) invaded nearly all of the basin, gives an opportunity to study the dynamics of the host and its parasites in its recently invaded range. Informa- tion on the parasites of this fish in its original habitat is quite scarce. The present study describes the metazoan parasites of 40 specimens of F. commersonii (total length range 73–107 cm) caught in the Mediterranean Sea (Sar- dinia, Tunisia, Libya) from 2005 to 2015. The parasite fauna of this migrant in the recently invaded range is mainly a combination of generalist juvenile/larval spe- cies (probably acquired in the new habitat) with some of its adult natural parasites (probably co-introduced during migration). The results indicate that a non-indigenous species is not always released from its natural parasite and that its success is not simply associated with such liberation. Actually, the parasite fauna of F. commer- sonii increased along its migration path, acquiring new generalist species, but also conserving a subset of natu- ral parasites. These data suggest caution in the uncritical acceptance of the enemy release hypothesis, because the different phases of the invasion process and establish- ment of a non-indigenous species appear to be related to a combination of ecological, physiological and behav- ioural factors.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11584/188503
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