List

This study validated a technique for non-invasive hormone measurements in California killifishFundulus parvipinnis, and looked for associations between cortisol (a stress hormone) and 11-ketotestosterone (KT, an androgen) release rates and the density or intensity of the trematode parasites Euhaplorchis californiensis (EUHA) and Renicola buchanani (RENB) in wild-caught, naturally infected F. parvipinnis. In experiment 1, F. parvipinnis were exposed to an acute stressor by lowering water levels to dorsal-fin height and repeatedly handling the fish over the course of an hour. Neither parasite was found to influence cortisol release rates in response to this acute stressor. In experiment 2, different F. parvipinnis were exposed on four consecutive days to the procedure for collecting water-borne hormone levels and release rates of 11-KT and cortisol were quantified. This design examined whether F. parvipinnis perceived the water-borne collection procedure to be a stressor, while also exploring how parasites influenced hormone release rates under conditions less stressful than those in experiment 1. No association was found between RENB and hormone release rates, or between EUHA and 11-KT release rates. The interaction between EUHA density and handling time, however, was an important predictor of cortisol release rates. The relationship between handling time and cortisol release rates was negative for F. parvipinnis harbouring low or intermediate density infections, and became positive for fish harbouring high densities of EUHA.

  Posts

September 1st, 2018

Graduate student position available studying alternative reproductive tactics at BGSU

We seek a graduate student for a newly NSF-funded project examining the life history decisions made by male smallmouth bass. […]

June 14th, 2018

Part of that World

The other day I was singing “Part of your World” from The Little Mermaid, but was changing some of the […]

June 13th, 2018

Parasite manipulation of host behavior in pop culture

I’m going to be giving a talk at the sure-to-be-amazing Zombie Apocalypse Medicine Meeting. The meeting celebrates all things zombie-related, and […]

June 4th, 2017

Soonish giveaway on Goodreads!

Five copies of the advance reader version of Zach and my new book Soonish are up for grabs on Goodreads! Click […]

March 7th, 2017

Soonish: Ten Emerging Technologies That’ll Improve and/or Ruin Everything

Zach and I wrote a book! Soonish: Ten Emerging Technologies That’ll Improve and/or Ruin Everything explores 10 emerging technologies, and discusses the roadblocks […]

January 26th, 2017

Tales from the Crypt: a parasitoid manipulates the behaviour of its parasite host

I have a new paper out with Dr. Scott Egan, Dr. Andrew Forbes, and Sean Liu! The paper is Open Access […]

May 30th, 2016

Postdoc with Dr. Ryan Hechinger (and me!)

We’re looking for a postdoc! See below! —————— Postdoctoral Opportunity with the Marine Biology Research Division at SIO Postdoctoral Scholar […]

May 7th, 2016

Science…sort of Episode 240: Moon Rocks Don’t Glow

I co-hosted an episode of Science…sort of recently. I pasted the show notes below, but you’ll have to head over […]

February 24th, 2016

Books on parasites

I’m often asked by students to suggest books they can read about parasites. Below is a list of books that […]

August 22nd, 2015

Great Adaptations – A kid’s book about evolution

Zach Weinersmith and I contributed to Tiffany Taylor’s children’s book about evolution. Tiffany worked with scientists to create Seuss-style stories […]