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Combined effects of predators and parasites on shoaling behavior of fishes

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Abstract

A review of experimental, field and theoretical papers on several topics related to the study of variability of fish shoaling behavior caused by separate impacts of predators and parasites as well as by combined effects of these factors. First, antipredator functions and changes in fish shoal parameters caused by predation risk are briefly discussed. Then, effects of parasites that have the potential to act as a force that can select for either larger or smaller group size, or even for solitary behavior are reviewed. Predation- and parasitism-induced variations in the shoal size and shape, distance between members of a shoal, position of fish within a shoal, effects of habitat complexity, parasite-assortative shoaling are described. Finally, an interplay between the parasitism and predation risks that could influence protective functions of fish shoaling is discussed. It is emphasized that not only the binary “predator-prey” and “host-parasite” systems, but a three-component system “parasite.-host-predator” which embrace both direct and indirect effects have to be studied.

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  1. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninskii pr. 33, Moscow, 119071, Russia

    V. N. Mikheev

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Mikheev, V.N. Combined effects of predators and parasites on shoaling behavior of fishes. J. Ichthyol. 49, 1032–1041 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0032945209110034

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