In north-central Texas streams, seasonal changes in ambient temperature and rainfall result in dynamic variation in microhabitat structure, affecting the distribution and abundance of hosts. Since the complex life cycles of parasites require the presence and interaction of multiple hosts, the seasonal variations in microhabitats could influence parasite component communities within these ecosystems. Gambusia affinis (western mosquitofish) serves as a host for a variety of larval and adult parasites. Factors that affect helminth component communities in populations of mosquitofish from the Paluxy River were investigated in this study. Gambusia affinis individuals were collected from 3 sites monthly from June 2015 through August 2016. All helminth parasites were collected during necropsy and subsequently identified. From 495 mosquitofish, 5,283 helminths were collected. Component community diversity varied among collection sites and collection dates and was positively influenced by river flow. These results indicate that helminth assemblages infecting mosquitofish in the Paluxy River vary through time and space, as well as in response to environmental variation (i.e., changes in water flow).

中文翻译：

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Gambusia affinis蠕虫寄生虫成分群落的变异。

在得克萨斯州中北部的河流中，环境温度和降雨的季节性变化会导致微生境结构的动态变化，从而影响寄主的分布和数量。由于寄生虫的复杂生命周期需要多个宿主的存在和相互作用，因此微生境的季节性变化可能会影响这些生态系统中的寄生虫成分群落。Gambusia affinis（西部蚊子）是各种幼虫和成虫的宿主。在这项研究中，调查了影响来自帕卢克斯河（Paluxy River）的蚊鱼种群中蠕虫成分群落的因素。从2015年6月至2016年8月，每月从3个地点收集Gambusia affinis个体。尸检时收集所有蠕虫寄生虫，然后进行鉴定。来自495个蚊子鱼，5个 收集了283个蠕虫。组成社区的多样性在采集地点和采集日期之间有所不同，并受到河流流量的积极影响。这些结果表明，在帕卢克斯河中感染蠕虫的蠕虫组合随时间和空间以及环境变化（即水流变化）而变化。