Effects of a muscle-infecting parasitic nematode on the locomotor performance of their fish host

2013 ◽  
Vol 82 (4) ◽  
pp. 1250-1258 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. M. Umberger ◽  
I. de Buron ◽  
W. A. Roumillat ◽  
E. J. McElroy
2004 ◽  
Vol 61 (7) ◽  
pp. 1143-1152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allyson E Miscampbell ◽  
Murray W Lankester ◽  
Martin L Adamson

We sequenced four rDNA regions (ITS-1, ITS-2, 5.8S, and D3 region of 28S) from the parasitic nematode Cystidicola spp. from seven species of fish host and 11 locations in Canada and Finland to elucidate suspected unresolved genetic variation within the genus. A holarctic species, Cystidicola farionis from the swim bladder of Salmonidae and Osmeridae, and a nearctic species, Cystidicola stigmatura from trout and char (Salvelinus spp.), differ in life history, host and geographic range, reproductive strategy, and adult and egg morphology. These nematodes were identical at three rDNA regions (ITS-1, 5.8S, and D3); however, two ITS-2 variants were found that differed at four nucleotide positions: variant I (366 bp) was found in British Columbia populations of C. farionis and in C. stigmatura and variant II (369 bp) was found in Ontario and Finnish populations of C. farionis. These results demonstrate that two species with distinct morphology and biology can have identical rDNA sequences, while two morphologically identical isolates have different ITS-2 sequences. Thus, rDNA spacer regions may not be useful for distinguishing biologically valid species or subspecies in some nematode groups. Although phenotypic variation suggested a third undescribed species of Cystidicola from lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis), rDNA analysis did not provide meaningful evidence of its uniqueness.


2019 ◽  
pp. 155-161 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivan Beltran

Environmental temperature has fitness consequences on ectotherm development, ecology and behaviour. Amphibians are especially vulnerable because thermoregulation often trades with appropriate water balance. Although substantial research has evaluated the effect of temperature in amphibian locomotion and physiological limits, there is little information about amphibians living under extreme temperature conditions. Leptodactylus lithonaetes is a frog allegedly specialised to forage and breed on dark granitic outcrops and associated puddles, which reach environmental temperatures well above 40 ˚C. Adults can select thermally favourable microhabitats during the day while tadpoles are constrained to rock puddles and associated temperature fluctuations; we thus established microhabitat temperatures and tested whether the critical thermal maximum (CTmax) of L. lithonaetes is higher in tadpoles compared to adults. In addition, we evaluated the effect of water temperature on locomotor performance of tadpoles. Contrary to our expectations, puddle temperatures were comparable and even lower than those temperatures measured in the microhabitats used by adults in the daytime. Nonetheless, the CTmax was 42.3 ˚C for tadpoles and 39.7 ˚C for adults. Regarding locomotor performance, maximum speed and maximum distance travelled by tadpoles peaked around 34 ˚C, approximately 1 ˚C below the maximum puddle temperatures registered in the puddles. In conclusion, L. lithonaetes tadpoles have a higher CTmax compared to adults, suggesting a longer exposure to extreme temperatures that lead to maintain their physiological performance at high temperatures. We suggest that these conditions are adaptations to face the strong selection forces driven by this granitic habitat.


2020 ◽  
Vol 142 ◽  
pp. 83-97
Author(s):  
A Chandran ◽  
PU Zacharia ◽  
TV Sathianandan ◽  
NK Sanil

The present study describes a new species of myxosporean, Ellipsomyxa ariusi sp. nov., infecting the gallbladder of the threadfin sea catfish Arius arius (Hamilton, 1822). E. ariusi sp. nov. is characterized by bivalvular, ellipsoid or elongate-oval myxospores with smooth spore valves and a straight suture, arranged at an angle to the longitudinal spore axis. Mature myxospores measured 10.1 ± 0.8 µm in length, 6.8 ± 0.5 µm in width and 7.7 ± 0.7 µm in thickness. Polar capsules are equal in size and oval to pyriform in shape. They are positioned at an angle to the longitudinal myxospore axis and open in opposite directions. Polar capsules measured 2.8 ± 0.3 µm in length and 2.5 ± 0.4 µm in width; polar filaments formed 4-5 coils, and extended to 32.2 ± 2.1 µm in length. Monosporic and disporic plasmodial stages attached to the wall of gallbladder. Molecular analysis of the type specimen generated a 1703 bp partial SSU rDNA sequence (MN892546), which was identical to the isolates from 3 other locations. In phylogenetic analyses, genus Ellipsomyxa appeared monophyletic and E. ariusi sp. nov. occupied an independent position in maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference trees with high bootstrap values. The overall prevalence of infection was 54.8% and multiway ANOVA revealed that it varied significantly with location, year, season, sex and size of the fish host. Histopathological changes associated with E. ariusi sp. nov. infection included swelling, vacuolation and detachment of epithelial layer, reduced mucus production and altered consistency and colour of bile. Based on the morphologic, morphometric and molecular differences with known species of Ellipsomyxa, and considering differences in host and geographic locations, the present species is treated as new and the name Ellipsomyxa ariusi sp. nov. is proposed.


1998 ◽  
Vol 38 (7) ◽  
pp. 73-79 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hooi-Ling Lee ◽  
Donald DeAngelis ◽  
Hock-Lye Koh

This paper discusses the spatial distribution patterns of the various species of the Unionid mussels as functions of their respective life-cycle characteristics. Computer simulations identify two life-cycle characteristics as major factors governing the abundance of a species, namely the movement range of their fish hosts and the success rate of the parasitic larval glochidia in finding fish hosts. Core mussels species have fish hosts with large movement range to disperse the parasitic larval glochidia to achieve high levels of abundance. Species associated with fish host of limited movement range require high success rate of finding fish host to achieve at least an intermediate level of abundance. Species with low success rate of finding fish hosts coupled with fish hosts having limited movement range exhibit satellite species characteristics, namely rare in numbers and sparse in distributions.


Plants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 408
Author(s):  
Phougeishangbam Rolish Singh ◽  
Gerrit Karssen ◽  
Marjolein Couvreur ◽  
Sergei A. Subbotin ◽  
Wim Bert

Pin nematodes of the genus Paratylenchus are obligate ectoparasites of a wide variety of plants that are distributed worldwide. In this study, individual morphologically vouchered nematode specimens of fourteen Paratylenchus species, including P. aculentus, P. elachistus, P. goodeyi, P. holdemani, P. idalimus, P. microdorus, P. nanus, P. neoamblycephalus, P. straeleni and P. veruculatus, are unequivocally linked to the D2-D3 of 28S, ITS, 18S rRNA and COI gene sequences. Combined with scanning electron microscopy and a molecular analysis of an additional nine known and thirteen unknown species originating from diverse geographic regions, a total of 92 D2-D3 of 28S, 41 ITS, 57 18S rRNA and 111 COI new gene sequences are presented. Paratylenchus elachistus, P. holdemani and P. neoamblycephalus are recorded for the first time in Belgium and P. idalimus for the first time in Europe. Paratylenchus is an excellent example of an incredibly diverse yet morphologically minimalistic plant-parasitic genus, and this study provides an integrated analysis of all available data, including coalescence-based molecular species delimitation, resulting in an updated Paratylenchus phylogeny and the corrective reassignment of 18 D2-D3 of 28S, 3 ITS, 3 18S rRNA and 25 COI gene sequences that were previously unidentified or incorrectly classified.


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