Interaction between Epistylis sp. and copepods in tropical lakes : responses of epibiont infestation to species host density.

Abstract

Interaction between Epistylis sp. and copepods was investigated in 3 tropical lakes. Epibiont load was higher in Thermocyclops minutus compared to Notodiaptomus ssp. at light compensation depth. No difference was found at surface. Infestation of Epistylis sp. seems to respond to copepod species densities. Attaching to more abundant copepods may increase encounter rates of epibionts with its hosts, raising biological efficiency of it even if attaching to smaller hosts when rare larger ones are present.