Abstract
The prevalence and effects of Gyge ovalis (Shiino, 1939) infestation on its host, Upogebia major (De Haan, 1841), were monitored monthly between 2012 and 2015 at two tidal flats in Seonjaedo and Jugyo on the west coast of Korea, eastern Yellow Sea. Gyge ovalis was the predominant parasite on mud shrimp, accounting for over 90% of macroparasite occurrences at both sites. The mean prevalence was 5.0% in Seonjaedo and 29.1% in Jugyo. Monthly prevalence declined over the study period but peaked in summer due to a reduced catch of uninfested mud shrimp. Ovigerous G. ovalis were present from April to September. Infestation of newly settled mud shrimp, together with the infrequent occurrence of small G. ovalis on large hosts, is consistent with predominant establishment during host recruitment and limited later establishment. The size-specific prevalence did not differ significantly between males and females. Estimated apparent annual mortality was 6.2 and 11.5 percentage points higher in infested mud shrimp at Seonjaedo and Jugyo, respectively. Infested mud shrimp were 7.3–14.2% smaller in size, with older cohorts showing larger relative differences. In particular, infested mud shrimp rarely reached the minimum carapace length required for reproduction (25 mm). Size-adjusted weight loss in infested mud shrimp was 14.8% in Seonjaedo and 8.5% in Jugyo, with no difference between sexes. None of the infested females were ovigerous, suggesting female castration by G. ovalis. In the context of its lifespan, the observed persistence of G. ovalis broadly aligned with the duration of the host cohort, with both rarely detected 5–6 years after host recruitment.
Subjects
- Ecology
- Zoology
Acknowledgements
The manuscript benefited greatly from the comments of five reviewers. We gratefully acknowledge their highly constructive comments and valuable suggestions, with special thanks to Professor John W. Chapman for his careful review and thoughtful feedback. We would like to acknowledge the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, Korea, for supporting this research through the Incheon–Gyeonggi–Chungcheong Sea Grant and the project BEACON for Future Marine Workforce: Integrating Spatial and Resource Utilization. We also acknowledge the National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea (MABIK) and the Korea Institute of Marine Science & Technology Promotion (KIMST) for their support. Our thanks also go to Sukhyun Nam, So-Hyuk Woo, Seokhyun Kim and Yoo-Jun Kim for their invaluable support during field and laboratory works.
Funding
The work reported in this publication was supported by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, Korea, through the Gyeonggi-Incheon Sea Grant (2010–2012) and the Chungcheong Sea Grant (2012–2014). The preparation of this manuscript was funded by the National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea (MABIK) under grant number 2025M00300, with additional support provided by the Korea Institute of Marine Science & Technology Promotion (KIMST), funded by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, Korea, through the Incheon–Gyeonggi–Chungcheong Sea Grant (RS-2026-25538840). The article processing charge (APC) was funded by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, Korea, through the project “BEACON for Future Marine Workforce: Integrating Spatial and Resource Utilization” (RS-2025-02220608).
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Kim, S., Lee, CL., Yu, C. et al. Prevalence and impact of bopyrid isopod infestation on mud shrimp populations in the eastern Yellow Sea.
Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-63940-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-63940-y
Keywords
- Bopyrid isopod
- Eastern Yellow Sea
Gyge ovalis
- Mud shrimp
- Population dynamics
Upogebia major
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