Shoaling guppies evade predation but have deadlier parasites

We collected data on coinfection rates, infection prevalence, and infection intensity for Gyrodactylus spp. on wild Trinidadian guppies (Poecilia reticulata). We also collected data on the shoaling preference of wild-caught guppy hosts. Further, we collected data on transmission rates, infection intensity, and infected host mortality rates of lines of these parasites on guppies in the laboratory. We fouind that wild guppy populations with stronger shoaling preferences had higher infection prevalence and coinfection rates. Further, we found a transmission rate-virulence tradeoff among parasite lines mediated by infection intensity. Lastly, parasite lines from populations with stronger shoaling preferences were found to attain higher infection intensity and impose higher mortality on infected hosts.

These data may be re-used with citation of the corresponding manuscript, "Shoaling guppies evade predation but have deadlier parasites." For more information, see that corresponding manuscript.

Methods
See the corresponding manuscript, "Shoaling guppies evade predation but have deadlier parasites"