Internal Rev. Hydrobiol. ~ 2000 ~ 543-559

ALEXANDER Y. KARATAYEV¹, *, LYUBOV E. BURLAKOVA¹, DANIEL P. MOLLOY², ** and LYUDMILA K. VOLKOVA¹

¹General Ecology Department, Belarussian State University, 4 Skoryna Ave., Minsk, Belarus 220050. e-mail: karataev@geo.bsu.unibel.by

²Biological Survey, New York State Museum, Cultural Education Center, Albany, NY 12230, USA. e-mail: dmolloy@mail.nysed.gov

Endosymbionts of Dreissena polymorpha (PALLAS) in Belarus

key words: Dreissena polymorpha, endosymbionts, Conchophthirus acuminatus, trematodes

Abstract

Dreissena polymorpha were dissected and examined for endosymbionts from 17 waterbodies in Belarus - the country through whose waterways zebra mussels invaded Western Europe nearly two centuries ago. Fourteen types of parasites and other symbionts were observed within the mantle cavity and/or associated with internal tissues, including ciliates (Conchophthirus acuminatus, Ancistrumina limnica, and Ophryoglena sp.), trematodes (Echinostomatidae, Phyllodistomum, Bucephalus polymorphus, and Aspidogaster), nematodes, oligochaetes, mites, chironomids, and leeches. Species composition of endosymbionts differed among river basins and lake systems. The most common endosymbiont was the ciliate C. acuminatus. Its mean infection intensity varied significantly among waterbodies from 67 ± 6 to 3,324 ± 556 ciliates/mussel.

*This author has also published under ALEXANDER Yu. KARATAEV

**author to whom the correspondence should be addressed