scholarly journals Host Range of the Mikrocytid Parasite Paramikrocytos canceri in Decapod Crustaceans

Pathogens ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 252 ◽  
Author(s):  
Morgan Edwards ◽  
Christopher Coates ◽  
Andrew Rowley
Keyword(s):  
Host Range ◽  
Aquatic Invertebrates ◽  
Carcinus Maenas ◽  
Decapod Crustaceans ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Cancer Pagurus ◽  
Shore Crabs ◽  
Limited Host Range ◽  
Porcelain Crabs ◽  
Swimming Crabs

Mikrocytids are a widespread but rather neglected group of parasites of aquatic invertebrates. One such parasite is Paramikrocytos canceri—discovered to infect the antennal gland of the juvenile edible crab, Cancer pagurus, taken from several intertidal sites across the United Kingdom. To determine if this parasite is also present in other species of decapod crustaceans, we surveyed crabs (n = 330) across two contrasting sites in Pembrokeshire (UK). Using a histopathological approach, P. canceri infection was confirmed in variable numbers of edible crabs from both survey sites, 7–44%. No measurable signs of infection were encountered in four other co-located species, including European shore crabs (Carcinus maenas), Montagu’s crabs (Xantho hydrophilus), velvet swimming crabs (Necora puber) and broad-clawed porcelain crabs (Porcellana platycheles). These data imply that P. canceri has a more limited host range than suggested by molecular diagnosis alone.

Fecampia erythrocephala rediscovered: prevalence and distribution of a parasitoid of the European shore crab, Carcinus maenas

2002 ◽  
Vol 82 (6) ◽  
pp. 955-960 ◽  
Author(s):  
Armand M. Kuris ◽  
Mark E. Torchin ◽  
Kevin D. Lafferty
Keyword(s):  
Carapace Width ◽  
Carcinus Maenas ◽  
Ecological Assessment ◽  
Shore Crab ◽  
Site Specificity ◽  
Habitat Distribution ◽  
Large Size ◽  
Cancer Pagurus ◽  
Host Growth ◽  
Shore Crabs

An ecological assessment of Fecampia erythrocephala, reporting its habitat distribution, abundance, host specificity, size-specific prevalence, frequency distribution among hosts, effect on host growth, and its site specificity within these hosts is presented. At the Isle of Man and near Plymouth, Fecampia erythrocephala cocoons were generally abundant on the undersides of rocks in the Ascophyllum and Fucus serratus zones. Infected crabs were also most common in these habitats. Both Carcinus maenas and Cancer pagurus were parasitized at similar prevalences, although the former species was relatively much more common in the habitats where the worm cocoons were abundant. Fecampia erythrocephala did not infect crabs larger than 11 mm carapace width, and prevalence decreased significantly with crab size. Prevalences reached 11% in areas where cocoons were abundant. Together with the large size of these worms relative to the size of the host crabs and the observations on worm emergence, these life history features indicate that F. erythrocephala is a parasitoid of young shore crabs. Fecampia erythrocephala cocoon abundance is often high in localized areas and size-prevalence information suggests that worms mature rapidly in these crabs. This suggests that F. erythrocephala is an important contributor to crab mortality and to the ecology of shore crabs at these sites.

scholarly journals Influence of temperature on intraspecific, unbalanced dyadic contests between crabs

PeerJ ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. e7845
Author(s):  
Allan T. Souza ◽  
Felipe O. Ribas ◽  
João F. Moura ◽  
Claudia Moreira ◽  
Joana Campos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carapace Width ◽  
Carcinus Maenas ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
The Body ◽  
Shore Crab ◽  
Temperature Conditions ◽  
Red Color ◽  
Shore Crabs ◽  
Influence Of Temperature On ◽  
Globally Distributed

Intraspecific agonistic interactions are widespread across the animal kingdom, with many individual morphological and physiological characteristics playing important roles in the fate of disputes. Additionally, changes to environmental conditions can influence the outcomes of animal contests. The shore crab (Carcinus maenas) is a globally distributed species, present in numerous coastal and estuarine temperate systems around the world. Although shore crabs are highly tolerant to changes in temperature, this parameter has important physiological effects on the species’ ecology, while its effects on behavior are not fully understood. Our study aims to investigate how different individual characteristics (such as sex, color morphotype, carapace and chela morphology) and temperature conditions affect the dyadic interactions between shore crabs when disputing food resources. In general, the differences in carapace width between opponents, their sexes, color morphotypes and the temperature conditions interacted and were important predictors of the contest fate. We found that the body size and color morphotype of C. maenas determined the fate of dyadic disputes. However, the higher temperatures disrupted the well-established dominance of the larger red color morphotype individuals. Overall, the agonistic contest results suggest higher plasticity than previously acknowledged.

The Influence of Nutritional State on the Circulatory and Respiratory Physiology of the Shore Crab, Carcinus Maenas

1985 ◽  
Vol 65 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-78 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. H. Depledge
Keyword(s):  
Cardiac Output ◽  
Oxygen Consumption ◽  
Salinity Stress ◽  
Carrying Capacity ◽  
Carcinus Maenas ◽  
Nutritional State ◽  
Respiratory Physiology ◽  
Shore Crab ◽  
Decapod Crustaceans ◽  
Oxygen Carrying Capacity

The oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood of decapod crustaceans fluctuates widely. Salinity stress results in doubling of haemocyanin concentration within 24–48 h in Carcinus maenas (Boone & Schoeffeniels, 1979) while in the lobster, Homarus gammarus respiratory pigment levels are very low prior to and following moulting (Spoek, 1974). In general, however, the most important factor regulating haemocyanin concentration is nutritional state. Following starvation low values are recorded (Wieser, 1965; Uglow, 1969; Djangmah, 1970) and there are concomitant reductions in ventilation, oxygen consumption and cardiac output (Ansell, 1973; Marsden, Newell & Ahsanullah, 1973; Wallace, 1973). The interrelationships between these events are poorly understood.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document