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318 TItE AMERICAN MIDLAND NATURALIST 11 ~(2) <br />Sion analyses of survival time of Gambusia affinis on density of B. acheilognathi and total <br />host length confirm the observation that survivorship is a function of parasite density <br />and host size (Table 2). <br />Comparison of mosquitofish populations in Belews Lake and Charlie's Pond. -Data were ob- <br />tained for sex ratios and mean lengths of females and males from an ambient <br />temperature and a thermally altered site in predator-free Belews Lake and in Charlie's <br />Pond where mosquitofish are subject to predation pressure from piscivorous fishes <br />(Tables 3, 4 and 5). Sex ratios varied significantly within season in both Belews Lake <br />and in Charlie's Pond. There were, however, no significant differences between sites <br />during the same seasons (Tables 3, 4, 5). <br />Analysis of variance indicated that mean lengths of female mosquitofish varied <br />significantly by season (Table 5). The smallest monthly mean was observed at the am- <br />bient temperature location in Belews Lake during July. Smallest mean lengths of <br />females at the heated station and in Charlie's Pond were observed in June. Duncan's <br />multiple range test revealed significant, but small, variations in mean length of females <br />at the three stations, mostly during spring and early summer. In only 2 months, May <br />and June, were mean lengths different in the ambient area of Belews Lake and <br />TABLE 1. -Relationship between mortality, mean parasite density and host size at 25 C, a <br />temperature which is conducive to cestode development <br />Days at Number of Density of parasite Total length of host (mtn) <br />25 C dead fish X f sE (range) X t sE (range) <br />1-6 0 <br />7 4 13.5 t 5.6 (6-28) 26.2 t 3.3 (22-30) <br />8 4 12.3 f 6.9 (4-24) 23.5 f 2.7 (21-28) <br />9 0 <br />10 22 16.2 t 6.1 (8-33) 26.4 t 2.7 (22-31) <br />11 20 9.6 t 2.6 (6-18) 26.2 f 2.3 (23-30) <br />12 9 7.6 t 2.7 (2-13) 29.4 t 1.7 (27-35) <br />13 7 4.1 f 1.9 (1-7) 32.1 f 3.4 (28-37) <br />14 7 4.6 t 3.3 (2-12) 33.9 t 1.5 (32-36) <br />15 6 3.2 t 1.9 (2-7) 35.0 t 1.1 (34-37) <br />16 0 <br />17 3 3.3 t 1.2 (2-5) 38.0 t 2.9 (34-41) <br />18 0 <br />19 0 <br />20 1 4.0 39.0 <br />TABLE 2. -Pearson correlation and multiple regression analyses of survival time of mos- <br />quitofish on the density of Bothriocephalus acheilognathi and the total length of the host <br /> Survival <br /> Time (days) Parasite density Host length <br /> r P r P r P <br />Survival <br />time (days) - - - 0.661 <0.001 0.811 <0.001 <br />Parasite <br />density - 0.661 <0.001 - 0.516 <0.001 <br />Host <br />length 0.811 <0.001 - 0.516 <0.001 - - <br />Regression model: survival time =parasite density x host length <br />r~ = 0.738, P <0.001 (parasite density contributes 43% and host length contributes 30.8% to this <br />value) <br />