Intraspecific and interspecific relationships between host size and the abundance of parasitic larval gnathiid isopods on coral reef fishes

Parasitic gnathud isopod larvae on coral reef teleosts and elasmobranchs were quantified at Lizard and Heron Islands (Great Barrier Reef), and Moreton Bay, Australia. The relationship between gnathlid abundance and host size was examined across and within species. Of the 56 species examined. 70 % had gnathiids, with counts ranging from 1 to 200 per fish and the elasmobranchs having the highest numbers. Pomacentrids rarely had gnathiids. In contrast, most labrids had gnathiids.