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Merlo MJ. Ecological consequences of hidden pathology by larval digeneans in South American mollusks. J Invertebr Pathol 2024; 206:108158. [PMID: 38925364 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2024.108158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2024] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
The study of digeneans and their association with mollusks commenced in Europe and South America during the mid-19th to early 20th centuries. Digenean infestation can severely degrade host tissue, leading to diminished energy resources and eventual host mortality. However, these parasites can also induce various non-lethal effects, including changes in growth rates, survival rates, and reproductive capabilities, alongside physiological and behavioral alterations. While numerous studies have explored the ecological effects of digeneans on hosts in Europe and North America, our understanding of these dynamics in South America, particularly in first intermediate hosts, remains limited. Therefore, this paper aims to provide an overview of ecological investigations into digenean-mollusk systems in South America, emphasizing the importance of robust sampling designs and statistical analyses to address key ecological inquiries. Although fascinating examples exist of parasitism influencing different hierarchical levels of digenean-mollusk systems, particularly at the individual, population, and community levels, documentation of their ecosystem-level impacts is comparatively sparse. As South American studies of digenean-mollusk systems from an ecological perspective are still in their early stages, there is immense potential for uncovering unique ecological patterns in this largely unexplored region, propelling us toward further developmental strides in the parasite ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matías J Merlo
- Laboratorio de Ictioparasitología, Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (IIMyC), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Funes 3350, (7600) Mar del Plata, Argentina.
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Susceptibility of invasive Asian clams to Chaetogaster limnaei: effect of parasite density and host size on infection dynamics. Biol Invasions 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-022-02964-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Passere MD, da Graça RJ, Takemoto RM, de Oliveira AV. Identification and molecular characterization of digenean trematode parasites of Aylacostoma chloroticum (Gastropoda: Thiaridae) from a Neotropical Basin. Parasitol Res 2022; 121:3653-3661. [PMID: 36264507 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-022-07692-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Thiarids are pantropical gastropods distributed from South America to Australia and found in lentic and lotic freshwater environments. These gastropods act as intermediate hosts for several species of digeneans. There are difficulties in the correct identification of these digeneans in certain stages of the life cycle as the larvae have a reduced size and few morphological characteristics for diagnosis. Because of this, techniques based on molecular markers have become an extremely useful tool. Our objective was to molecularly characterize the digeneans found in gastropods from the Ivaí River, Paraná, Brazil, using the mitochondrial molecular marker cytochrome c oxidase (COI) and the 28S ribosomal marker. With the molecular marker COI, gastropods showed high genetic similarity with Aylacostoma chloroticum. For the parasites, four different taxa were characterized with both markers. The 28S ribosomal marker proved to be more effective for the identification of Ivaí River parasites, being possible to suggest the identification of two species among the four groups found. Considering that there are no records in the literature of studies involving parasites and gastropods as intermediate hosts in the Ivaí River, this study is the first regarding these relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayara Destro Passere
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia de Ambientes Aquáticos Continentais, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Maringá - UEM, Av. Colombo 5790, Bloco G90, Maringá, Paraná, CEP 87020-900, Brazil.
| | | | - Ricardo Massato Takemoto
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia de Ambientes Aquáticos Continentais, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Maringá - UEM, Av. Colombo 5790, Bloco G90, Maringá, Paraná, CEP 87020-900, Brazil.,Núcleo de Pesquisas em Limnologia, Ictiologia e Aquicultura (Nupélia), Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Maringá - UEM, Maringá, Paraná, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Comparada, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Maringá - UEM, Maringá, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Alessandra Valéria de Oliveira
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia de Ambientes Aquáticos Continentais, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Maringá - UEM, Av. Colombo 5790, Bloco G90, Maringá, Paraná, CEP 87020-900, Brazil.,Núcleo de Pesquisas em Limnologia, Ictiologia e Aquicultura (Nupélia), Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Maringá - UEM, Maringá, Paraná, Brazil.,Departamento de Biotecnologia, Genética e Biologia Celular, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Maringá - UEM, Maringá, Paraná, Brazil
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