INFLUENCE OF THE INVASIVE SPECIES OF UNIONICOLA YPSILOPHORA (BONZ, 1783) ON THE MORPHO AND IMMUNOPHYSIOLOGICAL INDICATORS OF THE MOLLUSK ANODONTA CYGNEA (L.) OF THE RYBIN RESERVOIR

The effect of the invasive biological species of the Rybinsk Reservoir, the water mite Unionicola ypsilophora (Bonz, 1783) on the morphological and immunophysiological parameters of the infected bivalve mollusks Anodonta cygnea (L., 1758), was studied. The dependence of mollusk infection by water mite on the age, size, fatness coefficient, somatic indices of gills, legs, the content of immune complexes and malondialdehyde, one of the final products of lipid peroxidation, is shown. Indicators of size, total weight, content of immune complexes and malondialdehyde in infected individuals aged 7–10 years significantly exceeded those of uninfected young children 4-5 years old. It is concluded that with age, the level of innate mechanisms of the anti-acaricidal immunity of A. cygnea to water mite decreases, which leads to mass infection and death of older age groups of mollusks. The obtained data can be used to predict the propagation rate of biological invasion of U. ypsilophora in water bodies.