High parasite diversity in the amphipod
            Gammarus lacustris
            in a subarctic lake

The distribution of sillaginid-specific ectoparasites permits the distinction of two provinces with high parasite diversity: one on the continental shelf of Australia, and one on the shelf of Asia. The Australian province has 15 endemics (five monogeneans, one leech and nine copepods), and the Asian province has 14 endemics (two monogeneans and 12 copepods). These provinces are separated by a region with coastlines that descend very steeply to the ocean floor and by deep ocean waters that largely inhibit sillaginid movements. Some sillaginids must have dispersed across eastern Indonesia, however, leading to the occurrence of four parasites in both provinces. Three Australian parasites also appear to be presently encroaching onto the southern periphery of the Asian shelf. At least one less-recent invasion of Australian waters by Asian sillaginids would account for the occurrence of six pairs of copepod congeners that have one member in each province. The most widespread sillaginid, Sillago sihama, seems to have dispersed to African shores from the Arabian Sea as planktonic larvae only (no Asian parasites were present in samples of 29 hosts) and relatively recently (only one locally endemic parasite appears to have been acquired).

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Community structure and systematic study of Helminth parasites of freshwater snails of the Chittagong University Campus

Bangladesh Journal of Zoology ◽

10.3329/bjz.v44i1.30173 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 44 (1) ◽

pp. 9-30

Author(s):

Mahabuba Hasnath ◽

Md Abdul Gofur Khan

Keyword(s):

Community Structure ◽

Developmental Stages ◽

Freshwater Snails ◽

Helminth Parasites ◽

University Campus ◽

Parasite Diversity ◽

Pila Globosa ◽

Low Prevalence ◽

High Parasite ◽

Bellamya Bengalensis

In all, 13 parasite taxa - eight cercariae, three nematodes, one rhabdocoel and one aspidogastrean - were recorded from 205 out of the 642 snails autopsied. Of the carcariae, xiphidiocercous was the most diversified (five taxa), followed by the echinostome (two) and the furcocercous (one). Infection by the nematodes, though rather poor in diversity, was much higher (23.99%) than that (12.15%) by the developmental stages of Trematoda. The rhabdocoel and the aspidogastrean were minor infestors having 1.56% and 2.80% prevalence, respectively. Bellamya bengalensis was the most abundant host, had the highest parasite diversity (12 taxa) and also the highest prevalence of infection (51.59%). Though the second highest abundant host, Paludomus blanfordiana had the least parasite diversity (only an oxyurid nematode) and a very low prevalence (2.04%) as well. Brotia costula, the big strong snail harboured two taxa (a carcaria and a nematode), and also had a low prevalence (8.65%). The amphibious Pila globosa, though least abundant among the four hosts, had moderately high parasite diversity (four carcariae and two nematodes) and prevalence (40.26%).Bangladesh J. Zool. 44(1): 9-30, 2016

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High parasite diversity accelerates host adaptation and diversification

Science ◽

10.1126/science.aam9974 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 360 (6391) ◽

pp. 907-911 ◽

Cited By ~ 41

Author(s):

A. Betts ◽

C. Gray ◽

M. Zelek ◽

R. C. MacLean ◽

K. C. King

Keyword(s):

Host Adaptation ◽

Parasite Diversity ◽

High Parasite

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Phytoplankton of a subarctic lake under climatic variability

Regional Ecology ◽

10.30694/1026-5600-2019-2-51-56 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 56 (2) ◽

pp. 51

Author(s):

A. N. Sharov ◽

V. N. Nikulina ◽

A. A. Maximov ◽

Keyword(s):

Climatic Variability ◽

Subarctic Lake

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Late-Holocene diatom community response to climate driven chemical changes in a small, subarctic lake, Northwest Territories, Canada

The Holocene ◽

10.1177/09596836211003214 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 095968362110032

Author(s):

Paul B Hamilton ◽

Scott J Hutchinson ◽

R Timothy Patterson ◽

Jennifer M Galloway ◽

Nawaf A Nasser ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Iron Age ◽

Biological Diversity ◽

Regional Climate ◽

Natural Aging ◽

Community Response ◽

Warm Period ◽

Ice Age ◽

Diatom Assemblages ◽

Subarctic Lake ◽

Over Time

The paleolimnological record of diatoms and climate, spanning the last 2800 years, was investigated in a small subarctic lake (Pocket Lake) that from AD 1948 to 2004 was contaminated by gold smelting waste. An age-depth model was constructed using a combination of 210Pb, 14C, and tephra to determine a 2800 year history of lake ontogeny (natural aging), biological diversity, and regional climate variability. Diatoms form six strong paleoecological assemblages over time in response to changes in local hydrological and sedimentological conditions (including metals). Selected environmental variables explained 28.8% of the variance in the diatom assemblages, with Fe, Ca, and sediment end member distribution being important indicators. The diatom assemblages correlated to the Iron Age Cold Epoch (2800–2300 cal BP), Roman Warm Period (2250–1610 cal BP), Dark Age Cold Period (1500–1050 cal BP), Medieval Climate Anomaly (ca. 1100–800 cal BP), and the Little Ice Age (800–200 cal BP). The disappearance of Staurosira venter highlights the change from the Iron Age Cold Epoch to the Roman Warm Period. After deposition of the White River Ash (833–850 CE; 1117–1100 cal BP), transition to circumneutral conditions was followed in tandem by a transition to planktic influenced communities. Ten discrete peaks of Cu, Pb, and Zn were observed and attributed to soluble mobility from catchment soils through enhanced seepage and spring snowmelt. The prominent metal spikes were aligned with increases in Brachysira neoexilis. Downward mobilization of arsenic and antimony from contaminated surficial sediments highlight the problem of post depositional industrial contamination of paleosediments. Results demonstrate that paleoclimatic changes in the region, modulated by solar radiation, impacted temperature and precipitation in the lake catchment, influencing temporal shifts in diatom ecology. Changes in diatom taxa richness provided valuable information on the relative influence of water quality (planktic taxa) and sediment input (benthic taxa). The diatom assemblage succession also provides evidence that natural aging over time has played a role in the ecological evolution of the lake.

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Wide Distribution and Diversity of Malaria-Related Haemosporidian Parasites (Polychromophilus spp.) in Bats and Their Ectoparasites in Eastern Europe

Microorganisms ◽

10.3390/microorganisms9020230 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

pp. 230

Author(s):

Attila D. Sándor ◽

Áron Péter ◽

Alexandra Corduneanu ◽

Levente Barti ◽

István Csősz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Eastern Europe ◽

Plasmodium Species ◽

Wide Distribution ◽

Parasite Diversity ◽

Haemosporidian Parasite ◽

High Genetic Diversity ◽

Haemosporidian Parasites ◽

Host Ecology ◽

Wildlife Populations ◽

Pcr Targeting

Malaria is responsible for major diseases of humans, while associated haemosporidians are important factors in regulating wildlife populations. Polychromophilus, a haemosporidian parasite of bats, is phylogenetically close to human-pathogenic Plasmodium species, and their study may provide further clues for understanding the evolutionary relationships between vertebrates and malarial parasites. Our aim was to investigate the distribution of Polychromophilus spp. in Eastern Europe and test the importance of host ecology and roost site on haemosporidian parasite infection of bats. We sampled bats and their ectoparasites at eight locations in Romania and Bulgaria. DNA was extracted from blood samples and ectoparasites and tested individually for the presence of DNA of Polychromophilus spp. using a nested PCR targeting a 705 bp fragment of cytB. Two species of Polychromophilus were identified: Po. melanipherus in Miniopterus schreibersii and associated ectoparasites and Po. murinus in rhinolophid and vespertilionid bats (6 species) and their ticks and nycteribiid flies. Only cave-dwelling bat species (and their ectoparasites) showed infections, and we found a strong correlation between infections with Polychromophilus parasites and Nycteribiidae prevalence. We report the high genetic diversity of Polychromophilus spp. in Eastern Europe, suggesting that the simultaneous presence of varied host and vector assemblages enhances bat haemosporidian parasite diversity.

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High parasite diversity in a neglected host: larval trematodes of Bithynia tentaculata in Central Europe

Journal of Helminthology ◽

10.1017/s0022149x19001093 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 94 ◽

Author(s):

J. Schwelm ◽

O. Kudlai ◽

N.J. Smit ◽

C. Selbach ◽

B. Sures

Keyword(s):

Central Europe ◽

Phylogenetic Analyses ◽

Snail Host ◽

Morphological Data ◽

Curonian Lagoon ◽

Parasite Communities ◽

Bithynia Tentaculata ◽

Host Parasite ◽

Host Families ◽

High Parasite

Abstract Bithynids snails are a widespread group of molluscs in European freshwater systems. However, not much information is available on trematode communities from molluscs of this family. Here, we investigate the trematode diversity of Bithynia tentaculata, based on molecular and morphological data. A total of 682 snails from the rivers Lippe and Rhine in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, and 121 B. tentaculata from Curonian Lagoon, Lithuania were screened for infections with digeneans. In total, B. tentaculata showed a trematode prevalence of 12.9% and 14%, respectively. The phylogenetic analyses based on 55 novel sequences for 36 isolates demonstrated a high diversity of digeneans. Analyses of the molecular and morphological data revealed a species-rich trematode fauna, comprising 20 species, belonging to ten families. Interestingly, the larval trematode community of B. tentaculata shows little overlap with the well-studied trematode fauna of lymnaeids and planorbids, and some of the detected species (Echinochasmus beleocephalus and E. coaxatus) constitute first records for B. tentaculata in Central Europe. Our study revealed an abundant, diverse and distinct trematode fauna in B. tentaculata, which highlights the need for further research on this so far understudied host–parasite system. Therefore, we might currently be underestimating the ecological roles of several parasite communities of non-pulmonate snail host families in European fresh waters.

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