Ecological Specificity of Parasites of Some Embiotocid Fishes

Abstract

An investigation of the relative roles of phylogenetic and ecological factors in determining host specificity at the intrafamilial level in fishes of the family Embiotocidae has been made. The results do not show indications that specificity is related to host phylogeny, i.e. parallel host–parasite evolution is not apparent. However, data are presented which strongly support the contention that specificity of parasites in Cymatogaster aggregata is determined by factors which are of an ecological nature.