Black spot gill syndrome in the northern shrimp, Pandalus borealis, caused by the parasitic ciliate Synophrya sp.

Black spot gill syndrome in the northern shrimp, Pandalus borealis, is caused by an apostome ciliate, Synophrya sp., found within the gill lamellae. Whole mount staining, thin section histology, electron microscopy, and molecular studies were carried out on infected gills. The Synophrya 18S rRNA from Pandalus borealis (Genbank accession no. KX906568) and from two portunid crab species, Achelous spinimanus (Genbank accession no. MH395150) and Achelous gibbesii (Genbank accession no. MH395151) was sequenced. Phylogenetic analyses confirmed the identity of these ciliates as apostomes. The 18S rRNA sequence recovered from P. borealis shared 95% nucleotide similarity with the sequences recovered from the portunid crab species suggesting that it is a different species of Synophrya. The invasive hypertrophont stages, with a distinctive macronuclear reticulum, ranged in size from 300 to 400 µm with as many as 5 large forms/mm2 of gill tissue. Histotrophic hypertrophont stages and hypertomont stages were observed in these studies. The presence of the parasite was linked to the formation of melanized nodules (up to 9 nodules/mm2 of gill tissue) by the host and in some cases to extensive necrosis. Other studies have reported Synophrya sp. infections in P. borealis from Greenland, Labrador and Newfoundland, but further studies are necessary to determine the prevalence of this parasite in the dense schools of northern shrimp in the North Atlantic. Questions remain as to the possibility of epizootics of this pathogen and its impact on northern shrimp populations.

The bigger, the better? Volume measurements of parasites and hosts: Parasitic barnacles (Cirripedia, Rhizocephala) and their decapod hosts.

Rhizocephala, a group of parasitic castrators of other crustaceans, shows remarkable morphological adaptations to their lifestyle. The adult female parasite consists of a body that can be differentiated into two distinct regions: a sac-like structure containing the reproductive organs (the externa), and a trophic, root like system situated inside the hosts body (the interna). Parasitism results in the castration of their hosts, achieved by absorbing the entire reproductive energy of the host. Thus, the ratio of the host and parasite sizes is crucial for the understanding of the parasite's energetic cost. Using advanced imaging methods (micro-CT in conjunction with 3D modeling), we measured the volume of parasitic structures (externa, interna, egg mass, egg number, visceral mass) and the volume of the entire host. Our results show positive correlations between the volume of (1) entire rhizocephalan (externa + interna) and host body, (2) rhizocephalan externa and host body, (3) rhizocephalan visceral mass and rhizocephalan body, (4) egg mass and rhizocephalan externa, (5) rhizocephalan egg mass and their egg number. Comparing the rhizocephalan Sylon hippolytes, a parasite of caridean shrimps, and representatives of Peltogaster, parasites of hermit crabs, we could match their different traits on a reconstructed relationship. With this study we add new and significant information to our global understanding of the evolution of parasitic castrators, of interactions between a parasitic castrator and its host and of different parasitic strategies within parasitic castrators exemplified by rhizocephalans.

Paradoxium irvingi n.gen. n.sp. (Microsporidia) infecting the musculature of European pink shrimp Pandalus montagui.

This paper utilises histological, ultrastructure and molecular phylogenetic data to describe a novel genus and species (Paradoxium irvingi n.gen., n.sp.) within clade 5 of the phylum Microsporidia. The parasite infects the musculature of the pink shrimp Pandalus montagui captured from United Kingdom waters. The novel microsporidium is morphologically and phylogenetically dissimilar to its nearest phylogenetic branch relative Thelohania butleri infecting the sister shrimp taxon Pandalus jordani. Furthermore, it is morphologically distinct from the type species of the genus Thelohania, Thelohania giardi infecting European brown shrimp Crangon crangon. Since phylogenetic data pertaining to type T. giardi is not currently available, our discovery places some doubt on the likelihood that T. butleri represents the proposed surrogate for the type taxon. Further it demonstrates potential for significant morphological plasticity in this clade of muscle-infecting microsporidians of crustaceans which contains the genera Myospora, Cucumispora, Thelohania, and now Paradoxium. Since it cannot be stated with certainty that T. butleri (or other taxa within the clade) represent true close relatives of T. giardi, clarity on this issue will only occur with re-discovery and genotyping of type T. giardi infecting C. crangon from European waters.

Detección de protozoos parásitos entéricos, bacteriófagos de E. coli y organismos indicadores de contaminación en camarones comercializados en el estado Zulia / Detection of enteric protozoa parasites, E. coli bacteriophages and fecal pollution Indicator organisms in shrimp sold in the state of Zulia

Se determinó la presencia de Giardia intestinalis y Cryptospodidium parvum, bacteriófagos de Escherichia coli y organismos indicadores de contaminación (OIC), en muestras de camarones para el consumo humano comercializados en el estado Zulia. Los parásitos se concentraron a partir de sistemas digestivos de pools de camarones por la técnica de formol-éter y se cuantificaron por inmunofluorescencia directa. La concentración de los bacteriófagos de E. coli F+ y los OIC se evaluó por técnicas estándar. En este trabajo se detectó la presencia de G. intestinalis, C. parvum, bacteriófagos y E. coli en camarones comercializados en el estado Zulia que cumplían los criterios de la normativa venezolana de calidad sanitaria e inocuidad. Del total de muestras analizadas el 91,5% fueron positivas para G. intestinalis (promedio: 36,6 quistes/100g), 95,3% para C. parvum (promedio: 32,8 ooquistes/100g), 100% para los bacteriófagos de E coli F+ (promedio de 2,8 x 103 UFP/100 g) y 71,5% para E. coli (promedio de 4,3 x 104 NMP/g). Los resultados obtenidos indican que los camarones pueden convertirse en un vehículo para la transmisión de patógenos al hombre y dejan en evidencia la necesidad de la inclusión de un parámetro parasitológico y viral en el control de la calidad microbiológica de estos productos alimenticios.

The presence of G. intestinalis and C. parvum, E. coli F+ bacteriophages and fecal pollution indicator organisms was determined in shrimp for human consumption marketed in the State of Zulia. Parasites were concentrated from the digestive systems of shrimp pools, detected by formalin-ether and quantified by direct immunofluorescence. E. coli F + bacteriophage and pollution indicator organism concentrations were determined by standard techniques. In this work, G. intestinalis, C. parvum, E. coli F + bacteriophages and E. coli were detected in shrimp for human consumption marketed in the State of Zulia that met the quality criteria of Venezuelan health and safety regulations. 91.5% of the samples analyzed were positive for G. intestinalis (average: 36.6 cyst/100g), 95.3% for C parvum (average: 32.8 oocyst/100g), 100% for E coli F + bacteriophages (average: 2.8 x 103 FPFU/100g) and 71.5% for E. coli (average: 4.3 x 104 MPN/g). Results of this research indicate that shrimp can become a vehicle for transmitting pathogens to humans and demonstrate the need for including a parasitic and viral parameter in microbiological quality control for seafood.

Identity and systematic position of Paradinium poucheti and other Paradinium-like parasites of marine copepods based on morphology and nuclear-encoded SSU rDNA.

Paradinium and Paradinium-like parasites were detected in various copepod hosts collected in the NW Mediterranean Sea, the North Atlantic Ocean, and the Godthåbsfjord (Greenland). The identity and systematic position of the parasitic, plasmodial protist Paradinium was investigated on the basis of SSU rDNA and morphology. SSU rDNA sequences were obtained from 3 specimens of Paradinium poucheti isolated from their cyclopoid copepod host, Oithona similis. In addition, a comparable sequence was obtained from a hitherto undescribed species of Paradinium from the harpactacoid copepod Euterpina acutifrons. Finally, SSU rDNA sequences were acquired from 2 specimens of a red plasmodial parasite (RP parasite) isolated from Clausocalanus sp. Both morphological and SSU rDNA sequence data supported that P. poucheti and Paradinium sp. are closely related organisms. In phylogenetic analyses based on SSU rDNA sequences, Paradinium spp. clustered with sequences from an uncultured eukaryote clone from the Pacific Ocean and two sequences from haplosporidian-like parasites of shrimps, Pandalus spp. This Paradinium clade branched as a sister group to a clade comprising the Haplosporidia and the Foraminifera. The RP parasite had a superficial morphological resemblance to Paradinium and has previously been interpreted as a member of this genus. However, several morphological characters contradict this and SSU rDNA sequence data disagree with the RP parasite and Paradinium being related. The phylogenetic analyses suggested that the RP parasite is a fast-evolved alveolate and a member of the so-called marine alveolate Group I (MAGI) and emerging data now suggest that this enigmatic group may, like the syndinian dinoflagellates, consist of heterotrophic parasites.

The northern shrimp (Pandalus borealis) offshore fishery in the Northeast Atlantic.

This chapter describes the development and current situation of the offshore shrimp fisheries in Iceland, Greenland, Svalbard, Jan Mayen and the Norwegian Barents Sea area, with information on the biology of Pandalus borealis and its relation to the environment. Some additional information about the inshore shrimp fisheries of Iceland and Greenland of relevance to this study is also included. The Icelandic offshore shrimp fishery started in 1975 and has formed between 68% and 94% of the annual catch of shrimp since 1984. Landings peaked at 66,000 tons in 1997. The offshore fleet increased threefold from 1983 to 1987, and catch per unit of effort doubled. The first signs of overfishing were detected in 1987, when the first total allowable catch (TAC) was set, and catches decreased during the next few years despite the discovery of new fishing grounds. Good recruitment allowed catches to rise steadily from 1990 to 1996. However, catches and stock index have decreased markedly since then, with a minimum catch for the period 1998-2003 of 21,500 tons in 2000. It has been suggested that predation by cod is an important factor affecting shrimp stock size, but mortality from predation is slightly lower than fishing mortality, so that the impact of fishing cannot be disregarded. The Greenland offshore shrimp fishery is one of the largest in the North Atlantic and it generates 90% of the export value of the country. The fishery started in 1970 in West Greenland with landings of 1200 tons, but since 1974 it has formed between 59% and 89% of the annual shrimp catch. In 2004, landings reached 113,000 tons and the fishable stock was estimated at 300,000 tons. The significant spatial expansion of the fishery from the original fishing grounds off the Disko Island area to all of the West coast south of 75 degrees N and the fleet improvement over the past three decades have made possible this spectacular growth. Other fishing grounds off the East coast have been fished since 1978, mostly by foreign vessels. Catches in this area oscillated between 5000 and 15,000 tons during the period 1980-2004. The main problem of the shrimp fishery in Greenland is its overlapping with nursery areas of redfish, Greenland halibut, cod and other groundfish species, some of which show declining trends of biomass and abundance. This led to the implementation in 2000 of sorting grids and laws that forbid fishing when the bycatch exceeds legal limits. However, it is likely that ecological processes only partially understood, such as the trophic web and hydrography of the area, greatly influence the stock abundance of the demersal community. The offshore Norwegian fishery started in 1973. The main fishing grounds are off Svalbard and in the Barents Sea. Catches at Jan Mayen have never exceeded 5% of the total annual catch of northern shrimp. Large fluctuations in catches and stock size are the main characteristic of this fishery. Stock size seems to be largely dependent on the annual hydrographic variability in the area and trends in abundance of predator species, especially cod. However, shrimp mortality due to predation has been estimated to be the same as fishing mortality, and therefore fishing probably accounts for part of the observed variability in stock size. Large populations of juvenile cod, haddock, redfish and Greenland halibut are often found on the shrimp fishing grounds. The implementation of sorting grids in 1991 and a bio-economical model in 1993 to estimate allowable maximum catches of the commercial bycatch species have not solved the bycatch problem. All the commercial fish species present on the shrimp grounds are currently below safe biological limits. This is the only fishery within the studied area that is not regulated by means of a TAC system.

Phylogenetic distance of Thelohania butleri Johnston, Vernick, and Sprague, 1978 (Microsporidia; Thelohaniidae), a parasite of the smooth pink shrimp Pandalus jordani, from its congeners suggests need for major revision of the genus Thelohania Henneguy, 1892.

Thelohania butleri, a microsporidian that causes mortality and commercial losses in the smooth pink shrimp Pandalus jordani, is of taxonomic interest as a species resembling the poorly studied type species, Thelohania giardi, of the large, polyphyletic genus Thelohania. We examined the ultrastructure of T. butleri to confirm its identity and reconstructed phylogenies using ribosomal DNA to find the relationship of T. butleri with other Thelohania species in crayfish and ants. Light and transmission electron microscopy from specimens collected from the type locality, the Pacific coast of Canada, confirmed the identity and demonstrated a development similar to that of T. giardi, involving a series of binary fissions without formation of a plasmodium. Phylogenetic analyses consistently showed T. butleri to be distantly related to other Thelohania species, and closely related to species from marine decapods within a larger fish-parasitic clade. Together, features such as host group and habitat, developmental morphology, and phylogeny suggest T. butleri may be a closer relative to T. giardi than any other Thelohania species represented by DNA data so far, and thus imply species from crayfish and ants may not belong in this genus. Results also confirm that genus Thelohania and family Thelohanidae are in need of revision.

Some ultrastructural and functional aspects of the golgi àpparatus of Thelohania sp. (Microsporida) in the shrimp Pandalus jordani Rathbun.

Electron microscope observations on Thelohania sp. in the shrimp Pandalus jordani support the view that the Golgi complex in Microsporida is a "classical" one, composed of vesicular, vacuolar, and cisternal components. During development of the sporoblast, a portion of the Golgi complex is seen as an electron-dense reticulum enmeshing the core of the polar filament. Associated with the reticulum are electron-dense bodies. The reticulum and "dense bodies," reported in several previous publications, have not been well understood and have been given a variety of names. The evidence favors the view that these structures have secretory activity in which the reticulum concentrates or synthesized material, some of which takes the form of membrane-bounded granules. It is suggested that the most appropriate name for the reticulum is "reticulum golgien," and the the correct name for the "dense bodies" is the standard cytologic term, "secretion granules." The secretion granules apparently remain in the posterior part of the spore, and may be stored there for some as yet undetermined use.