Affiliation:
1. Department of Biology Georgetown University Washington District of Columbia
2. Department of Biology West Chester University West Chester Pennsylvania
3. Marine Science and Conservation Division Duke University Beaufort North Carolina
4. North Carolina Maritime Museum/Bonehenge Whale Center Beaufort North Carolina
Abstract
AbstractBarnacles can reveal much about the physiology, health, and spatial ecology of their cetacean hosts. Here, we examine how temperature and hydrodynamic factors impact presence of Xenobalanus globicipitis, a pseudo‐stalked barnacle that attaches exclusively to cetaceans. We hypothesized that temperature is a key environmental factor (i.e., water temperature) and physiological factor, in that X. globicipitis prefers the warmest skin temperature for attachment, possibly as a mechanism for survival in colder waters. First, we demonstrate a global relationship between spatial ecology of host species and presence of X. globicipitis. Notably, X. globicipitis is absent in the four species occupying waters with the lowest sea surface temperature (SST) year‐round, but present in migratory species that likely acquire the barnacle in waters with higher SST. Second, barnacle attachment location on common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) dorsal fins corresponds with fin temperature and hydrodynamics. Although body temperature may influence attachment location on the body of the animal, hydrodynamic forces, as previously proposed, determine how well barnacles can remain attached during the adult stage. X. globicipitis prevalence likely provides important bioindicator, ecological, and physiological information about its host. As parasitic infestation has some cost, these results have implications for cetacean health in warming seas.
Funder
American Wildlife Conservation Foundation
Georgetown University
National Science Foundation
National Geographic Society
Morris Animal Foundation
Subject
Aquatic Science,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Cited by
1 articles.
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