Meso- and bathy-pelagic fish parasites at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR): Low host specificity and restricted parasite diversity

2010 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 596-603 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sven Klimpel ◽  
Markus Wilhelm Busch ◽  
Tracey Sutton ◽  
Harry Wilhelm Palm
Keyword(s):  
Host Specificity ◽  
Pelagic Fish ◽  
Fish Parasites ◽  
Parasite Diversity ◽  
Mid Atlantic Ridge

Assessing the diversity, host-specificity and infection patterns of apicomplexan parasites in reptiles from Oman, Arabia

Parasitology ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 143 (13) ◽  
pp. 1730-1747 ◽  
Author(s):  
JOÃO P. MAIA ◽  
D. JAMES HARRIS ◽  
SALVADOR CARRANZA ◽  
ELENA GOMÉZ-DÍAZ
Keyword(s):  
Phylogenetic Analysis ◽  
Host Specificity ◽  
Quantitative Pcr ◽  
Parasite Diversity ◽  
Phylogenetic Clustering ◽  
Apicomplexan Parasites ◽  
Host Ecology ◽  
Phylogenetic Framework ◽  
Host Parasite ◽  
Wild Hosts

SUMMARYUnderstanding the processes that shape parasite diversification, their distribution and abundance provides valuable information on the dynamics and evolution of disease. In this study, we assessed the diversity, distribution, host-specificity and infection patterns of apicomplexan parasites in amphibians and reptiles from Oman, Arabia. Using a quantitative PCR approach we detected three apicomplexan parasites (haemogregarines, lankesterellids and sarcocystids). A total of 13 haemogregarine haplotypes were identified, which fell into four main clades in a phylogenetic framework. Phylogenetic analysis of six new lankesterellid haplotypes revealed that these parasites were distinct from, but phylogenetically related to, knownLankesterellaspecies and might represent new taxa. The percentage of infected hosts (prevalence) and the number of haemogregarines in the blood (parasitaemia) varied significantly between gecko species. We also found significant differences in parasitaemia between haemogregarine parasite lineages (defined by phylogenetic clustering of haplotypes), suggesting differences in host–parasite compatibility between these lineages. ForPristurus rupestris, we found significant differences in haemogregarine prevalence between geographical areas. Our results suggest that host ecology and host relatedness may influence haemogregarine distributions and, more generally, highlight the importance of screening wild hosts from remote regions to provide new insights into parasite diversity.

Fish parasites in the Arctic deep-sea: Poor diversity in pelagic fish species vs. heavy parasite load in a demersal fish

2006 ◽  
Vol 53 (7) ◽  
pp. 1167-1181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sven Klimpel ◽  
Harry Wilhelm Palm ◽  
Markus Wilhelm Busch ◽  
Esra Kellermanns ◽  
Sonja Rückert
Keyword(s):  
Fish Species ◽  
Deep Sea ◽  
Parasite Load ◽  
Demersal Fish ◽  
Pelagic Fish ◽  
Fish Parasites ◽  
The Arctic

Parasite fauna of the mediterranean grenadier Coryphaenoides mediterraneus (Giglioli, 1893) from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR)

2009 ◽  
Vol 54 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Esra Kellermanns ◽  
Sven Klimpel ◽  
Harry Palm
Keyword(s):  
Deep Sea ◽  
Parasite Species ◽  
Parasite Fauna ◽  
Fish Parasites ◽  
Depth Range ◽  
New Host ◽  
The North ◽  
Mid Atlantic Ridge ◽  
Specific Parasite ◽  
Larval Parasites

AbstractA total of 38 Coryphaenoides mediterraneus from the Charlie-Gibbs Fracture Zone (CGFZ), a part of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR), was studied for parasites and feeding ecology. Sixteen different parasite species were found, most of them belonging to the Digenea (6 species) and Nematoda (6). Twelve new host and 11 new locality records were established, and 8 deep-sea generalists and 5 deep-sea specialists were found. Twelve adult and 3 larval parasites occurred, with Allopodocotyle margolisi (Digenea), Tetraphyllidea indet. (Scolex pleuronectis, Cestoda) and Ascarophis longiovata (Nematoda) being the predominant species. These parasites reached a prevalence of 50.0%, 86.8% and 68.4% with an intensity of infection of 1–10, 1–91 and 1–74, respectively. The food consisted of crustaceans and cephalopods; no further prey items such as fish could be identified. Coryphaenoides mediterraneus demonstrates a parasite fauna similar to that of other deep-sea macrourids. No MAR-specific parasite species were found, and the collected helminths are common fish parasites of the North Atlantic deep-sea basin and the adjacent continental shelf regions. Only few larval epipelagic generalists such as ascaridoid nematodes were found, due to the deep origin of the studied fish between 1700–3500 m. The recorded species rich parasite fauna reflects the wide depth range and opportunistic feeding behaviour of C. mediterraneus on benthopelagic food. The recorded parasite species composition around the MAR appears to be similar to other deep-sea locations in the Atlantic Ocean, demonstrating the wide zoogeographical distribution of these deep-sea metazoans. Consequences of the MAR, the CGFZ and the homogeneous deep-sea environmental conditions for the parasite species distribution are discussed.

Host specificity is linked to intraspecific variability in the genus Lamellodiscus (Monogenea)

Parasitology ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 135 (5) ◽  
pp. 607-616 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. KACI-CHAOUCH ◽  
O. VERNEAU ◽  
Y. DESDEVISES
Keyword(s):  
Host Specificity ◽  
Host Species ◽  
Intraspecific Variability ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Relative Increase ◽  
Fish Parasites ◽  
Nuclear Ribosomal Dna ◽  
New Host ◽  
Morphometric Characters ◽  
Generalist Species

SUMMARYWe investigated whether host specificity is linked to variability within species of Lamellodiscus monogeneans, which are gill ectoparasites of the Sparidae. We sampled fish parasites in the northeastern part of the Mediterranean Sea: 4 specialist species, using 1 single host species, and 3 generalist species, using 2 distinct host species. Intraspecific variability was assessed from 2 different datasets. Morphometric variability of the attachment organ, called the haptor, was estimated first from measurements of several sclerified haptoral parts on 102 individuals. Genetic variability was calculated based on comparisons of sequences derived from the first internal transcribed spacer (ITS-1) of nuclear ribosomal DNA of 62 individuals. Morphometric variances in the specialist versus generalist species were compared via principal component analysis and F-tests, and uncorrected genetic distances (p-distances) were estimated within each species. We showed that the inter-individual variance of morphometric characters, as well as p-distances, are clearly greater within generalist species than specialist ones. These findings suggest that a relative increase in morphological and molecular variability enhances the possibility to colonize new host species in monogeneans, and supports the hypothesis that intraspecific variability could be a potential determinant of host specificity.

scholarly journals Seasonal occurrence of metazoan parasites in Tigerfish, Hydrocynus vittatus Castelnau, 1861 (Characiformes: Alestidae) from Sanyati Basin, Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe

2019 ◽  
Vol 86 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nyasha Mabika ◽  
Maxwell Barson ◽  
Cobus Van Dyk ◽  
Annemarie Avenant-Oldewage
Keyword(s):  
Random Distribution ◽  
Fish Host ◽  
Fish Parasites ◽  
Seasonal Occurrence ◽  
Seasonal Temperature ◽  
Parasite Diversity ◽  
Metazoan Parasites ◽  
Lake Kariba ◽  
Mean Intensity ◽  
Thermal Stability Of

Lake Kariba is a tropical lake with slight variations in seasonal temperature. Temperature is an important physical variable in the biology of both fish and their parasites. Currently, there is no information on the seasonal occurrence of fish parasites in Lake Kariba. The objective of this study was to investigate the seasonal occurrence of metazoan parasites in Hydrocynus vittatus in Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe. Twenty fish specimens were collected by seine netting per season between October 2014 and July 2015 in the Sanyati Basin, Lake Kariba, and examined for metazoan parasites. Mean water temperatures ranged from 24.1 °C to 31.2 °C with slight variations between the seasons. Metazoan parasites consisting of Monogenea (Annulotrema pikei, Annulotrema pseudonili, Annulotrema bracteatum), Nematoda (Contracaecum larvae), Copepoda (Lamproglena hemprichii), Cestoda (larval cestodes, Ichthybothrium sp.) and Pentastomida (pentastomid larvae) were recorded. Larval cestodes were recorded in autumn and spring, while pentastome larvae were recorded in summer and spring. The Ichthybothrium sp. was recorded once in winter. Annulotrema pikei and A. pseudonili were observed on the gills and A. bracteatum on both the gills and the skin. Contracaecum larvae, L. hemprichii and A. bracteatum (from the skin) were recorded in all the seasons, with slight variations in prevalence, mean abundance and mean intensity. However, these variations were not statistically significant (analysis of variance or ANOVA, p > 0.05). The slight variations in occurrence of the parasites were probably because of the thermal stability of the lake where variation in temperature was small between seasons. Both A. bracteatum and Contracaecum larvae were aggregated on the fish host, whereas L. hemprichii exhibited a random distribution. Parasite diversity was at its highest during winter.

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