Are the activity patterns of ectoparasitic gnathiid isopods synced with the lunar cycle?
My in situ field research in the Caribbean determined that gnathiid infection intensity of French grunt was not associated with the lunar cycle, luminance or lunar angle. Yet, comparative studies on the Great Barrier Reef demonstrate that some gnathiids infect fishes with greater intensity during new and full moon. The differences in these studies may be due to differences in parasite species, fish host availability/diversity and variable habitats.