Molecules and morphology reveal cryptic variation among digeneans infecting sympatric mullets in the Mediterranean.

SUMMARYWe applied a combined molecular and morphological approach to resolve the taxonomic status of Saccocoelium spp. parasitizing sympatric mullets (Mugilidae) in the Mediterranean. Eight morphotypes of Saccocoelium were distinguished by means of multivariate statistical analyses: 2 of Saccocoelium obesum ex Liza spp.; 4 of S. tensum ex Liza spp.; and 2 (S. cephali and Saccocoelium sp.) ex Mugil cephalus. Sequences of the 28S and ITS2 rRNA gene regions were obtained for a total of 21 isolates of these morphotypes. Combining sequence data analysis with a detailed morphological and multivariate morphometric study of the specimens allowed the demonstration of cryptic diversity thus rejecting…

An optimised multi-host trematode life cycle: fishery discards enhance trophic parasite transmission to scavenging birds

Overlapping distributions of hosts and parasites are critical for successful completion of multi-host parasite life cycles and even small environmental changes can impact on the parasite's presence in a host or habitat. The generalist Cardiocephaloides longicollis was used as a model for multi-host trematode life cycles in marine habitats. This parasite was studied to quantify parasite dispersion and transmission dynamics, effects of biological changes and anthropogenic impacts on life cycle completion. We compiled the largest host dataset to date, by analysing 3351 molluscs (24 species), 2108 fish (25 species) and 154 birds (17 species) and analysed the resultant data based on a number of …

Who's better at spotting? A comparison between aerial photography and observer-based methods to monitor floating marine litter and marine mega-fauna.

Pollution by marine litter is raising major concerns due to its potential impact on marine biodiversity and, above all, on endangered mega-fauna species, such as cetaceans and sea turtles. The density and distribution of marine litter and mega-fauna have been traditionally monitored through observer-based methods, yet the advent of new technologies has introduced aerial photography as an alternative monitoring method. However, to integrate results produced by different monitoring techniques and consider the photographic method a viable alternative, this ‘new’ methodology must be validated. This study aims to compare observations obtained from the concurrent application of observer-based and…

A new species of the genus Zalophotrema (Digenea: Campulidae), Zalophotrema atlanticum n. sp., from the liver of the striped dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba (Meyen, 1833) (Cetacea: Delphinidae) in Atlantic waters

Zalophotrema atlanticum n. sp. from the liver of a striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba (Meyen, 1833), stranded in the Canary Islands is described. This new species differs from the other Zalophotrema species in body dimensions and relative size and position of the suckers and cirrus-sac. This is the first record of a species of the genus Zalophotrema in the striped dolphin, and the Atlantic Ocean constitutes a new locality record for this genus.

Intestinal helminth fauna of striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) in the western Mediterranean: No effects of host body length, age and sex

The intestine of 52 (28 males and 24 females) striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) from western Mediterranean waters was examined for helminths. Animals were found stranded along the Spanish coasts during the morbillivirus epizootic in 1990. In accordance with observations from other pelagic tetrapods, including cetaceans from other geographical regions, the intestinal helminth community was depauperate. Four helminth species were found: three tetrabothriid cestodes, Tetrabothrius forsteri (prevalence: 96.2%; mean intensity [95% CI]: 47.4 [34.4–68.2]), Trigonocotyle globicephalae (9.6%; 1.8 [1.0–2.2]), and Strobilocephalus triangularis (23.1%; 5.3 [2.9–10.2]), and immature individuals o…

REDESCRIPTION OF ALLENCOTYLA MCINTOSHI PRICE, 1962 (MONOGENEA), WITH AN EMENDED DIAGNOSIS OF ALLENCOTYLA PRICE, 1962

The original description of the type species of Allencotyla, A. mcintoshi Price, 1962, was based on 5 specimens collected from 1 amberjack Seriola lalandi in Florida. In this study, A. mcintoshi is redescribed based on new specimens collected from juvenile greater amberjacks S. dumerili captured off the Spanish Mediterranean coast and maintained in experimental culture tanks. Except for a slightly smaller size, individuals of S. dumerili were morphologically similar to the type specimens. However, reexamination of the type material and examination of the new specimens revealed the following discrepancies with respect to the original description: (1) the vaginal pore is unarmed and covered w…

Development and habitat selection of a new sanguinicolid parasite of cultured greater amberjack, Seriola dumerili, in the Mediterranean

Abstract This study presents a description of the developmental stages of a new sanguinicolid disease agent (Paradeontacylix ibericus) of cultured Seriola dumerili (greater amberjack) in the Mediterranean, and investigates parasite habitat selection in the definitive host and the development of sanguinicolidosis in experimental, inshore cultures of S. dumerili . Two experimental surveys were carried out using fish captured as wild 0+ juveniles in the aquaculture facilities at Puerto de Mazarron (Spain). Encysted, early post-cercarial stages (schistosomula) were detected in histological sections of the pelvic and thoracic muscles of fish and four subsequent stages of parasite development wer…

Is the Spanish coast within the regular nesting range of the Mediterranean loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta)?

We report the information on loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) nesting events which occurred on the Spanish Mediterranean coast in 2006. Two clutches of 78 and 82 eggs were discovered in the provinces of Valencia (eastern Spain) and Barcelona (north-eastern Spain). We discuss the increasing number of reports of sea turtle nests in Spain within the context of the nesting range of this species in the Mediterranean Sea.

Understanding myxozoan infection dynamics in the sea: Seasonality and transmission of Ceratomyxa puntazzi

Abstract Ceratomyxa puntazzi affects the sharpsnout seabream, Diplodus puntazzo , a recently explored aquaculture species in the Mediterranean. Little is known about the transmission and seasonality of marine myxozoans, although this knowledge is of considerable importance for the design of management strategies for aquaculture. In the present study on C. puntazzi we investigated the potential pathways of transmission as well as the parasite abundance in fish and its density in environmental water samples, throughout a full year. We performed monthly sentinel fish exposures in a C. puntazzi enzootic environment and quantified waterborne stages in seawater. Two novel C. puntazzi -specific PC…

Protected areas host important remnants of marine turtle nesting stocks in the Dominican Republic

AbstractNesting by marine turtles in the Caribbean has declined considerably, mainly because of human exploitation, but there has previously been no monitoring in the Dominican Republic. We present the first detailed assessment of the status of marine turtle nesting in the country, based on surveys during 2006–2010. Nesting populations of hawksbill Eretmochelys imbricata and leatherback turtle Dermochelys coriacea are of regional importance and the green turtle Chelonia mydas is still present, although nesting in low numbers. The two main nesting sites are within protected areas: the Jaragua National Park in the south-west, important for leatherback turtles (mean of 126 nests per season), a…

Parasites in Stranded Cetaceans of Patagonia

There is an increasing interest in parasites of marine mammals of Argentina. Here, we examined several poorly known cetaceans, i.e., 2 spectacled porpoises and 1 Burmeister's porpoise (Phocoenidae), and 1 Gray's beaked whale and 1 Cuvier's beaked whale (Ziphidae); we also updated the parasite information for 1 sperm whale (Physeteridae). These hosts strand only occasionally. We found Anisakis simplex s.l. in 2 spectacled porpoises and the Burmeister's porpoise, and recorded its distribution among the stomach chambers. Anisakis physeteris infected the sperm whale; Corynosoma cetaceum occurred in the duodenal ampulla of the Burmeister's porpoise; Corynosoma australe was found in the posterior…

Seasonal population dynamics of Zeuxapta seriolae (Monogenea: Heteraxinidae) parasitising Seriola dumerili (Carangidae) in the Western Mediterranean.

We examined the seasonal and yearly population dynamics of the monogenean pathogen Zeuxapta seriolae on juvenile fish from wild populations of Seriola dumerili. The study is based on bimonthly monitoring between April, 2005 and April, 2007 off Majorca, and newly obtained monogenean population data for juvenile fish from three additional localities in the Western Mediterranean (off Alicante, Corsica and Sardinia). We documented the highest intensities and abundances of Z. seriolae, with mean abundance values similar to or higher than those reported in the single case of wild fish mortalities reported to date. There was a recurrent pattern of seasonal change in infection with Z. seriolae in t…

Breizacanthus aznari sp. n. (Acanthocephala: Arhythmacanthidae) from the banded cusk-eel Raneya brasiliensis (Ophidiiformes: Ophidiidae) from the Patagonian coast in Argentina

Breizacanthus aznari sp. n. is described from the banded cusk-eel Raneya brasiliensis (Kaup) (Ophidiiformes: Ophidiidae) from the Patagonian coast in Argentina. Breizacanthus Golvan, 1969 is currently composed of five species (including the new species) and is characterised by the absence of trunk spines, a short cylindrical proboscis with two types of hooks and lemnisci longer than the proboscis receptacle. Breizacanthus aznari is clearly distinguished from B. chabaudi Golvan, 1969 by having 12 longitudinal rows of hooks on the proboscis, instead of 16-18. The new species resembles B. golvani Gaevskaya et Shukhgalter, 1984, B. irenae Golvan, 1969, and B. ligur Paggi, Orecchia et Della Seta…

Long-Distance Travellers: Phylogeography of a Generalist Parasite, Pholeter gastrophilus, from Cetaceans

We studied the phylogeography and historical demography of the most generalist digenean from cetaceans, Pholeter gastrophilus, exploring the effects of isolation by distance, ecological barriers and hosts' dispersal ability on the population structure of this parasite. The ITS2 rDNA, and the mitochondrial COI and ND1 from 68 individual parasites were analysed. Worms were collected from seven oceanic and coastal cetacean species from the south western Atlantic (SWA), central eastern Atlantic, north eastern Atlantic (NEA), and Mediterranean Sea. Pholeter gastrophilus was considered a single lineage because reciprocal monophyly was not detected in the ML cladogram of all individuals, and seque…

Random forests, a novel approach for discrimination of fish populations using parasites as biological tags.

Due to the complexity of host-parasite relationships, discrimination between fish populations using parasites as biological tags is difficult. This study introduces, to our knowledge for the first time, random forests (RF) as a new modelling technique in the application of parasite community data as biological markers for population assignment of fish. This novel approach is applied to a dataset with a complex structure comprising 763 parasite infracommunities in population samples of Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua, from the spawning/feeding areas in five regions in the North East Atlantic (Baltic, Celtic, Irish and North seas and Icelandic waters). The learning behaviour of RF is evaluated in …

Helminth communities of loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) from Central and Western Mediterranean Sea: the importance of host's ontogeny.

We investigated the factors providing structure to the helminth communities of 182 loggerhead sea turtles, Caretta caretta, collected in 6 localities from Central and Western Mediterranean. Fifteen helminth taxa (10 digeneans, 4 nematodes and 1 acanthocephalan) were identified, of which 12 were specialist to marine turtles; very low numbers of immature individuals of 3 species typical from fish or cetaceans were also found. These observations confirm the hypothesis that phylogenetic factors restrict community composition to helminth species specific to marine turtles. There were significant community dissimilarities between turtles from different localities, the overall pattern being compat…

Fish Health and Fisheries, Implications for Stock Assessment and Management: The Mediterranean Example

Although fish health may influence key population-level processes, particularly those dealing with natural mortality, reproduction and growth, which in turn affect stock productivity, there has been little emphasis on the links between fish health and management of marine fisheries. This paper addresses this gap and illustrates how knowledge of fish health provides insight to marine fisheries biologists, stock assessment modellers and managers. The study demonstrates ways in which the consideration of condition (energy reserves) indicators and parasitism adds to improved stock assessment and fisheries management, also in situations of data shortage when standard methods cannot be applied, a…

Mining parasite data using genetic programming.

Genetic programming is a technique that can be used to tackle the hugely demanding data-processing problems encountered in the natural sciences. Application of genetic programming to a problem using parasites as biological tags demonstrates its potential for developing explanatory models using data that are both complex and noisy.

Independent host switching events by digenean parasites of cetaceans inferred from ribosomal DNA

Cetaceans harbour a unique fauna of digeneans whose origin and relationships have sparked considerable debate during recent decades. Disparity in the species reported indicates that they do not share close affinities, but their unusual morphology has made their taxonomic identities and phylogenetic positions uncertain. Here we use sequence data to investigate the phylogenetic relationships of the main species of flukes infecting cetaceans. We sequenced the 18S, 28S and internal transcribed spacer 2 rDNA of digenean species representing all known families reported from cetaceans: Braunina cordiformis (Brauninidae), Ogmogaster antarcticus (Notocotylidae), Pholeter gastrophilus (Heterophyidae)…

Cranial crassicaudiasis in two coastal dolphin species from South Africa is predominantly a disease of immature individuals.

Crassicauda spp. (Nematoda) infest the cranial sinuses of several odontocetes, causing diagnostic trabecular osteolytic lesions. We examined skulls of 77 Indian Ocean humpback dolphins Sousa plumbea and 69 Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins Tursiops aduncus, caught in bather-protecting nets off KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) from 1970-2017, and skulls of 6 S. plumbea stranded along the southern Cape coast in South Africa from 1963-2002. Prevalence of cranial crassicaudiasis was evaluated according to sex and cranial maturity. Overall, prevalence in S. plumbea and T. aduncus taken off KZN was 13 and 31.9%, respectively. Parasitosis variably affected 1 or more cranial bones (frontal, pterygoid, maxillary …

A new species of Ascocotyle (Trematoda: Heterophyidae) from the South American sea lion, Otaria flavescens, off Patagonia, Argentina.

We describe a new heterophyid species, Ascocotyle (Ascocotyle) patagoniensis n. sp., based on specimens collected from the intestines of the South American sea lion Otaria flavescens from Patagonia (Argentina). Ascocotyle (A.) patagoniensis n. sp. is distinguished from the other species of the subgenus by the number of circumoral spines, which are arranged in 2 rows of 18 to 23. The new species also differs from the other species in having a gonotyl without papillae. The specimens exhibited the widest seminal receptacle described for a species of this subgenus. Species of the subgenus Ascocotyle usually infect fish-eating birds or mammals in freshwater or brackish habitats. Ascocotyle (A.) …

Description, microhabitat selection and infection patterns of sealworm larvae (Pseudoterranova decipiens species complex, nematoda: ascaridoidea) in fishes from Patagonia, Argentina

Third-stage larvae of the Pseudoterranova decipiens species complex (also known as sealworms) have been reported in at least 40 marine fish species belonging to 21 families and 10 orders along the South American coast. Sealworms are a cause for concern because they can infect humans who consume raw or undercooked fish. However, despite their economic and zoonotic importance, morphological and molecular characterization of species of Pseudoterranova in South America is still scarce. Methods: A total of 542 individual fish from 20 species from the Patagonian coast of Argentina were examined for sealworms. The body cavity, the muscles, internal organs, and the mesenteries were examined to dete…

Contextualising the Last Survivors: Population Structure of Marine Turtles in the Dominican Republic.

Nesting by three species of marine turtles persists in the Dominican Republic, despite historic threats and long-term population decline. We conducted a genetic survey of marine turtles in the Dominican Republic in order to link them with other rookeries around the Caribbean. We sequenced a 740bp fragment of the control region of the mitochondrial DNA of 92 samples from three marine turtle species [hawksbill (n = 48), green (n = 2) and leatherback (n = 42)], and incorporated published data from other nesting populations and foraging grounds. The leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) in the Dominican Republic appeared to be isolated from Awala-Yalimapo, Cayenne, Trinidad and St. Croix bu…

The effects of inbreeding on mortality during a morbillivirus outbreak in the Mediterranean striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba)

Between 1990 and 1992, Mediterranean striped dolphins ( Stenella coeruleoalba ) suffered high mortality due to a morbillivirus epidemic. Ten highly variable microsatellite markers were used to assess the population structure of a sample of these stranded animals and to assess the genetic consequences of the epizootic on present stocks. We found little evidence of population structure within the Mediterranean, but distinct separation between this and the North Sea (Atlantic) population, the latter also showing greater genetic diversity. Using a genetic measure of inbreeding, we found that dolphins dying early in the outbreak were significantly more inbred than those dying later. Within 10 ye…

Life begins when the sea lion is ashore: microhabitat use by a louse living on a diving mammal host

AbstractAmong Anoplura, the family Echinophthiriidae includes species that infest pinnipeds and otters. Previous evidence obtained from pinnipeds infested by echinophthiriids, specifically from seals, indicates that flippers are the preferred infestation sites, while lice from fur seals select areas in the pelage. We studied habitat selection of Antarctophthirus microchir on South American sea lion pups (Otaria flavescens Shaw, 1800) from Patagonia, Argentina, during the austral summer of 2009. We found a clear pattern of habitat selection: eggs are laid on the dorsal surface; nymphs 1 hatch there and then migrate to the belly, where they develop into adults and copulate; and then ovigerous…

Population dynamics of Antarctophthirus microchir (Anoplura: Echinophthiriidae) in pups from South American sea lion, Otaria flavescens, in Northern Patagonia.

We analysed population dynamics of the louse Antarctophthirus microchir in pups of the South American sea lion, Otaria flavescens, at the Punta León rookery (Argentina) over a period of 2 years. A total of 136 pups were aged and marked at the beginning of the lactation period ashore, then sampled for lice at different times within 30 days. Sampling was restricted to the chest and belly, two sites where lice were especially abundant. This concentration on ventral areas might protect lice from thermal stress in the austral summer. Infestation patterns in pups ≤3 days old suggested that the potential for transmission increased from first nymphs to adults. Population trends of each instar with …

Genetic differentiation in the striped dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba from European waters according to mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) restriction analysis

We used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) restriction analysis to study genetic variation in 98 striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) stranded on coasts from different European countries and from animals caught by fisheries. A total of 63 different restriction sites was mapped after digestion of mtDNA with 15 restriction endonucleases that yielded a total of 27 haplotypes. No haplotype was shared between Mediterranean and Atlantic areas. All the analyses indicate the existence of two different populations with a very limited gene flow across the Strait of Gibraltar.

Feeding ecology of the loggerhead turtle Caretta caretta in the western Mediterranean

We studied the feeding ecology of juvenile loggerhead turtles Caretta caretta in the western Mediterranean based on the contents of the digestive tract of 54 turtles (range of CCL: 34–69 cm) seized in Barcelona (Spain) in 1991. Turtles had been captured in fishing trawls, but specific information about dates and localities is not available. Despite this limitation, we obtained interesting evidences about the foraging strategies of loggerheads, with potentially important conservation implications. We report 33 new taxa in the diet. Results indicated that western Mediterranean loggerheads feed in an opportunistic way. Numerically, fish made up the most important prey group, followed by pelagi…

Risk assessment for parasites in cultures of Diplodus puntazzo (Sparidae) in the Western Mediterranean: Prospects of cross infection with Sparus aurata

The sharpsnout seabream Diplodus puntazzo is of interest in Mediterranean fish farming. Disease is an important problem because parasites can spread quickly in culture conditions and fish often develop high parasite burdens. Here we assess the risk that documented parasites pose to the sustainability of D. puntazzo farming. This study specifically considers metazoan and protist parasites recorded from wild and farmed D. puntazzo in scientific literature. Risk assessment studies involve the identification, characterization and qualitative quantification of the risk in question (parasitoses in this case) and the probability of establishment. We considered the parasite species which may be dif…

Abundance–variance and abundance–occupancy relationships in a marine host–parasite system: The importance of taxonomy and ecology of transmission

Abundance-occupancy and abundance-variance relationships are two of the most general macroecological patterns capturing essential fundamentals of the structuring of species distributions and are widely documented for free-living animal and plant species populations at different spatial scales. However, empirical data for parasites have been gathered using appropriate sampling designs only recently. We performed analyses across species of the variation in infection parameters and patterns of aggregation of the most widespread parasites in the marine sparid fish Boops boops across seven localities of two marine biogeographical regions, the North East Atlantic and the Mediterranean. We used a …

Evaluating the importance of Marine Protected Areas for the conservation of hawksbill turtles Eretmochelys imbricata nesting in the Dominican Republic

Understanding spatial and temporal habitat-use patterns to protect both foraging and breeding grounds of species of concern is crucial for successful conservation. Saona Island in Del Este National Park (DENP), south-eastern Dominican Republic (DR), hosts the only major hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) nesting area in the DR (100 nests yr �1 , SD = 8.4, range = 93�111), with the population having been critically reduced through hunting. We satellite tracked 9 female hawksbill turtles, and present analyses of their core-use areas with respect to Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in both their internesting and foraging areas. Kernel utilization distribu- tions indicated that during the internes…

Dieta del delfín de Risso (Grampus griseus) en el Mediterráneo occidental

The diet of Risso’s dolphin in the Mediterranean is described based on 15 animals stranded between 40°25’N 00°32’W and 37°35’N 00°45’E from April 1987 to January 2003. The prey were mainly oceanic cephalopods. Pelagic octopods, especially A. argo, were the most abundant (mean = 41.28%; SD±34.32). Species belonging to the families Ommastrephidae, Histioteuthidae and Onychoteuthidae were also frequent components of its diet. The bathymetric distribution of cephalopods shows that Risso’s dolphin preferentially feeds on the middle slope (600 to 800 m depth) in the Mediterranean.

Spatial distribution and aggregation ofXenobalanus globicipitison the flukes of striped dolphins,Stenella coeruleoalba: An indicator of host hydrodynamics?

The role of lantern fish (Myctophidae) in the life-cycle of cetacean parasites from western Mediterranean waters

Myctophids (lantern fish) and cephalopods play a key role in trophic webs from the continental slope and oceanic waters linking the zooplankton to top predators. Many cetaceans feed on both lantern fish and cephalopods, and such prey would thus be expected to bridge the trophic gap in the life-cycles of helminths infecting cetaceans. However, information on the life-cycles of most of these helminths is extremely scanty. We examined the parasite fauna of myctophids and cephalopods in two areas from the western Mediterranean where at least 21 helminth taxa from cetaceans have been reported and both cetacean diversity and abundance is high. A total of 1012 individuals of 8 lantern fish species…

How students perceive the university's mission in a Spanish university: Liberal versus entrepreneurial education?

AbstractThis study explores the extent to which undergraduate students perceive a dichotomy between a liberal vs. an entrepreneurial model of university. This research is important in that it compares the stated aims of university education, particularly within the Bologna Process, with students' expectations regarding liberal education and employability. A Likert-type questionnaire containing 25 statements reflecting liberal and entrepreneurial features of university education was answered by 488 students from 10 disciplines at the University of Valencia, Spain, just before the implantation of the Bologna curriculum. An exploratory factor analysis revealed that students clearly perceive th…

Diet of the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) in the western Mediterranean Sea

The stomach contents of 16 bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus (Cetacea: Odontoceti) stranded in the Spanish Mediterranean coast were examined. Remains and size of prey were analysed and correlated with the ecological characteristics and behavioural patterns of this dolphin. Fish and cephalopods represented the main diet components, and hake Merluccius merluccius was the most important prey. The food habits were considered as mainly demersal according to the characteristics of the prey. The study suggested ontogenic and sexual differences in feeding behaviour based on diet composition and hake size. The potential causative factors, particularly as they relate to dolphin social structure,…

An insight into the epidemiology of dolphin morbillivirus worldwide.

Serum samples from 288 cetaceans representing 25 species and originating from 11 different countries were collected between 1995 and 1999 and examined for the presence of dolphin morbillivirus (DMV)-specific antibodies by an indirect ELISA (iELISA) (N=267) or a plaque reduction assay (N=21). A total of 35 odontocetes were seropositive: three harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) and a common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) from the Northeastern (NE) Atlantic, a bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) from Kent (England), three striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba), two Risso’s dolphins (Grampus griseus) and a bottlenose dolphin from the Mediterranean Sea, one common dolphin from the Southwes…

Cetacean Morbillivirus: Current Knowledge and Future Directions

We review the molecular and epidemiological characteristics of cetacean morbillivirus (CeMV) and the diagnosis and pathogenesis of associated disease, with six different strains detected in cetaceans worldwide. CeMV has caused epidemics with high mortality in odontocetes in Europe, the USAand Australia. It represents a distinct species within the Morbillivirusgenus. Although most CeMV strains are phylogenetically closely related, recent data indicate that morbilliviruses recovered from Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus), from Western Australia, and a Guiana dolphin (Sotalia guianensis), from Brazil, are divergent. The signaling lymphocyte activation molecule (SLAM) cell rec…

Anisakid larvae in the musculature of the Argentinean hake, Merluccius hubbsi

We report the infection levels of third-stage anisakid larva in the muscle of the Argentinean hake, Merluccius hubbsi, in relation to fish size and location in the musculature. The musculature of 42 hake was separated into hypaxial (ventral) and epiaxial (dorsal) parts and surveyed for nematode larvae. Two anisakid species were detected: Anisakis sp. (prevalence, 52.4%; mean +/- SD abundance, 1.2 +/- 1.7) and Pseudoterranova sp. (prevalence, 9.5%; mean +/- SD abundance, 0.2 +/- 0.7). Since the fish were gutted after capture, the occurrence of anisakids in the flesh indicates that the worms had migrated into the muscle before capture. The number of Anisakis sp. in muscle was not correlated w…

A new brachycladiid species (Digenea) from Gervais’ beaked whale Mesoplodon europaeus in north-western Atlantic waters

AbstractA new species of the digenean family Brachycladiidae Odhner, 1905 is described from the bile ducts of a Gervais’ beaked whale Mesoplodon europaeus Gervais (Ziphiidae) stranded on the North Atlantic coast of Florida. These parasites were assigned to Brachycladium Looss, 1899 and differed from other species of the genus in the relative size of the oral and ventral suckers, the form and size of the eggs and their extremely small body size. A canonical discriminant analysis was used to examine differences between these specimens and the smallest available individuals of B. atlanticum (Abril, Balbuena and Raga, 1991) Gibson, 2005, considered the morphologically closest species. The overa…

Preliminary patterns of distribution and abundance of loggerhead sea turtles, Caretta caretta , around Columbretes Islands Marine Reserve, Spanish Mediterranean

Aerial surveys were conducted to estimate the abundance and distribution of loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) in the Columbretes Islands Marine Reserve and surrounding waters (western Mediterranean). Four surveys were carried out during 2000 and 2001, following the line transect methodology. Loggerheads appeared to be present at high densities in the area throughout the whole year, although density varied between seasons, being more abundant during the spring. Mean density in the study area was 0.322 turtles/km2 (range 0.200–0.516) and the mean abundance was 1,324 turtles (range 825–2,124). The turtles were distributed homogeneously throughout the study area, we found no difference in lo…

Composition and structure of the parasite faunas of cod, Gadus morhua L. (Teleostei: Gadidae), in the North East Atlantic.

Abstract Background Although numerous studies on parasites of the Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua L. have been conducted in the North Atlantic, comparative analyses on local cod parasite faunas are virtually lacking. The present study is based on examination of large samples of cod from six geographical areas of the North East Atlantic which yielded abundant baseline data on parasite distribution and abundance. Materials and Methods A total of 826 fish was sampled in the Baltic, Celtic, Irish and North seas, Icelandic waters and Trondheimsfjord (Norway) in 2002 (spring and autumn) and 2003 (spring). The gills and internal organs (oesophagus, stomach, intestine, pyloric caeca, liver, heart, splee…

Mitochondrial DNA variability of striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) in the Spanish Mediterranean waters

Frozen muscle samples from 44 striped dolphins stranded on the Spanish Mediterranean coasts from 1990 to 1993 have been studied by means of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) restriction site analysis. Thirty-five of these dolphins were affected by a die-off occurring during this time in the western Mediterranean Sea. The mtDNA from each dolphin was digested with 15 restriction endonucleases that recognized 61 different restriction sites. The specific location of these sites on the mitochondrial gene map allowed us to determine the distribution of variability along this molecule. From the restriction analysis, a total of 15 different composite patterns or haplotypes was obtained and their phylogenet…

Intestinal helminth communities of the long-finned pilot whale (Globicephala melas) off the Faroe Islands.

SUMMARYThe intestines of 170 long-finned pilot whales, Globicephala melas, caught off the Faroe Islands (N.E. Atlantic) were examined for helminth parasites. Eight species were detected but only 4 occurred in at least 10% of the sample. No core or recurrent group of species were identified and no correlations between abundances of species were significant. Diversity values were far below those reported for other endotherms. Colonization by helminths was random, whales not being readily colonized. These features point to largely unpredictable, isolationist infracommunities, there being little potential for inter-specific interactions. Older hosts tended to harbour more diverse infracommuniti…

Status of Corynosoma (Acanthocephala: Polymorphidae) based on anatomical, ecological, and phylogenetic evidence, with the erection of Pseudocorynosoma n. gen.

The possession of genital spines has been considered as a key taxonomic trait to differentiate Corynosoma from other genera of the Polymorphidae. However, Corynosoma currently consists of 2 groups of species with clear ecological and morphological divergences: the "marine" group (with ca. 30 species) infects mammals and piscivorous birds in the marine realm, whereas the "freshwater" group (with ca. 7 species) infects waterfowl in continental waters. Species from these groups differ in shape of body and neck, trunk spination, lemnisci length and shape, testes arrangement, and number and shape of cement glands. We tested whether species from these 2 groups formed a monophyletic assemblage bas…

Transmission and Predictors of Burden of Lungworms of the Striped Dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) in the Western Mediterranean

Pseudaliid lungworms infect the lungs and sinuses of cetaceans. Information on the life cycle and epidemiology of pseudaliids is very scarce and mostly concerns species that infect coastal or inshore cetaceans. Available evidence indicates that some pseudaliids are vertically transmitted to the host, whereas others are acquired via infected prey. We documented pseudaliid infections in an oceanic cetacean, the striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) in the western Mediterranean, and investigated the possibilities of vertical vs. horizontal transmission and the potential influence of host body size, sex, and season on infection levels. We found two species of lungworm in 87 dolphins that stra…

Molecular and morphological identification of larval opecoelids (Digenea: Opecoelidae) parasitising prosobranch snails in a Western Mediterranean lagoon.

In a study of the digeneans parasitising molluscs in the Els Alfacs lagoon (Ebro Delta, Western Mediterranean) we found heavy infections with sporocysts emitting two types of cotylocercous cercariae in the prosobranch trochid gastropod Gibbula adansonii and with metacercariae in the prosobranch nassariid gastropod Cyclope neritea. A comparative analysis using ITS ribosomal DNA sequences from these larval stages and published sequences of 17 larval and adult opecoelid stages allowed us to elucidate the life-cycle of Macvicaria obovata and to confirm the identification of Cainocreadium labracis based on cercarial morphology. We provide molecular evidence for the identification and the first d…

Description of embryonic development and ultrastructure in miracidia ofCardiocephaloides longicollis(Digenea, Strigeidae) in relation to active host finding strategy in a marine environment

The functional ultrastructure and embryonic development of miracidia in naturally released eggs of the trematode Cardiocephaloides longicollis were studied using light and transmission electron microscopy. This species has operculated eggs and embryogenesis occurs in the marine environment before an actively infecting ciliated miracidium hatches. Six different developmental stages were identified. The lack of pores in the eggshell indicates its impermeability and the miracidium's dependency on glycogen nutritive reserves, contained in numerous vitellocytes in early embryos. As the development advances, these merge into larger vitelline vacuoles that encircle the miracidium and may aid its h…

Gastrointestinal helminths of cuvier’s beaked whales, ziphius cavirostris, From the Western Mediterranean

We examined the gastrointestinal helminth fauna of 2 Cuvier's beaked whales, Ziphius cavirostris, stranded on the Spanish Mediterranean coast. Information regarding intestinal parasites of this species is provided for the first time. Six helminth taxa were identified. Thirty type II larvae of the nematode Anisakis sp. were found in the stomach and the intestine of both hosts; 2 type I larvae of Anisakis sp. were found in the intestine of 1 host. One juvenile of the acanthocephalan Bolbosoma vasculosum was found in the intestine; the metacestode Scolex pleuronectis was found mainly in the terminal colon and the anal crypts of both hosts; adult cestodes of Tetrabothrius sp., which may represe…

Morphology, performance and attachment function in Corynosoma spp. (Acanthocephala)

Background: Functional inference on the attachment of acanthocephalans has generally been drawn directly from morphology. However, performance of structures is often non-intuitive and context-dependent, thus performance analysis should be included whenever possible to improve functional interpretation. In acanthocephalans, performance analysis of attachment is available only for Acanthocephalus ranae, a species that solely relies on the proboscis to attach. Here we compare body morphology and muscle arrangement in 13 species of Corynosoma, which use their spiny body as a fundamental holdfast. A basic performance analysis using live cystacanths of two representative species is also provided.…

A new species of the genusCrassicaudaLeiper et Atkinson, 1914 (Nematoda: Spiruroidea) from the penis ofGlobicephala melas(Traill, 1809) (Cetacea: Globicephalidae) in the western mediterranean sea

The examination of a male long-finned pilot whale (Globicephala melas) stranded at Cullera (Spanish Mediterranean coast) resulted in the finding of nematodes of the genus Crassicauda parasitising the penis. Pathologies associated with these worms were observed and are described here. The morphometric and morphological study of these helminths revealed that they represent a new species, Crassicauda carbonelli n. sp., which differs from other species of the genus Crassicauda in body size, cephalic morphology and spicule size in the males. Crassicauda sp. described by Dollfus (1968) must be ascribed to C. carbonelli n. sp. The taxonomy, morphometric variability of the eggs, site in the hosts, …

Skoulekia meningialis n. gen., n. sp. (Digenea: Aporocotylidae Odhner, 1912) a parasite surrounding the brain of the Mediterranean common two-banded seabream Diplodus vulgaris (Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1817) (Teleostei: Sparidae): description, molecular phylogeny, habitat and pathology.

This study describes a new aporocotylid genus and species, Skoulekia meningialis n. gen., n. sp. which was detected in the ectomeningeal veins surrounding the optic lobes of the brain of the common two-banded seabream Diplodus vulgaris (Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1817) from the Gulf of Valencia (Mediterranean Sea). A detailed morphological description of S. meningialis is provided, including drawings, measurements and scanning electron microscopy images as well as a phylogenetic study of S. meningialis and closely related taxa using DNA sequence data obtained from whole ITS2 and partial 18S and 28S rDNA regions. Morphology as well as molecular phylogeny strongly support the erection of a new g…

Diagnostic accuracy of the light microscope method to detect the eggs of Cardicola spp. in the gill filaments of the bluefin tuna.

Trematode blood flukes of the genus Cardicola are potentially lethal in bluefin tuna cultures. The present study proposed a new method to detect aporocotylid eggs in tuna gills. Aporocotylid eggs were detected by analysing a pair of gill filaments of five transversal areas of the eight holobranches of one hundred Atlantic bluefin tuna and observed with glycerol and a stereomicroscope with an oblique brightfield. Data were gathered according to holobranches, transversal areas and their combination. Eggs were uniformly distributed among the holobranches, but they had the highest prevalence in the second and fifth transversal areas, which is controversial with respect to previous studies of eg…

Comparing cetacean abundance estimates derived from spatial models and design-based line transect methods

Spatial modelling is increasingly being used as an alternative to conventional design- based line transect sampling to estimate cetacean abundance. This new method combines line transect sampling with spatial analysis to predict animal abundance based on the relationship of ani- mals observed to environmental factors. It presents several advantages including: (1) the ability to use data collected from 'platforms of opportunity', (2) the ability to estimate abundance for any defined subarea within the study area, and (3) the possibility for increased precision if covariates explain sufficient variability in the data. One study has been conducted to compare spatial modelling with conventional…

Parasite communities in Boops boops (L.) (Sparidae) after the Prestige oil-spill: Detectable alterations

Environmental pollution affects parasite populations and communities, both directly and through effects on intermediate and final hosts. In this work, we present a comparative study on the structure and composition of metazoan parasite communities in the bogue, Boops boops, from two localities (Galician coast, Spain) affected by the Prestige oil-spill (POS). We focus on the distribution of both individual parasite species and larger functional groupings by using both univariate and multivariate analyses. Our results indicate directional trends in community composition that might be related to the Prestige oil-spill disturbance of the natural coastal communities off Galicia. Endoparasite com…

Speciation of the Paradeontacylix spp. (Sanguinicolidae) of Seriola dumerili. Two new species of the genus Paradeontacylix from the Mediterranean.

Abstract Two new species of teleost blood fluke belonging to the sanguinicolid genus Paradeontacylix are described from the greater amberjack, Seriola dumerili , i.e. Paradeontacylix ibericus n. sp. from the Iberian Peninsula and Paradeontacylix balearicus n. sp. from the Balearic Islands. P. ibericus n. sp. and P. balearicus n. sp. show morphological similarities with Paradeontacylix kampachi and Paradeontacylix grandispinus respectively, which occur in mixed infection in S. dumerili from Japan. Multivariate analysis of morphometrical data provided statistical evidence for the separation of four species. However, component by component analysis did not show statistically significant differ…

Mediterranean Diplodus annularis (Teleostei: Sparidae) and its brain parasite: Unforeseen outcome

Patterns of parasite load and aggregation of the bird trematode Cardiocephaloides longicollis in its main intermediate host in the Mediterranean, the annular sea bream, Diplodus annularis, were studied in a large sample collected off Valencia (Spain) and are discussed within the context of the parasite induced host mortality hypothesis. The metacercariae were located within large composite cysts of host origin in the ventricles of the optic lobes of the cerebrum. A weak immunological response was detected in older fish, which was significantly associated with the total parasite load. Although the mean abundance of C. longicollis showed a tendency to increase with host size, the infection le…

Considerations on the taxonomy and morphology of Microcotyle spp.: redescription of M. erythrini van Beneden & Hesse, 1863 (sensu stricto) (Monogenea: Microcotylidae) and the description of a new species from Dentex dentex (L.) (Teleostei: Sparidae)

AbstractBackgroundMicrocotyle erythrinivan Beneden & Hesse, 1863 (Platyhelminthes: Monogenea) and other closely related species of the genus are often considered as cryptic. Records in hosts other than the type-host with no species confirmation by molecular analyses have contributed to this situation.MethodsGill parasites of five sparid fishes,Boops boops(L.),Pagellus erythrinus(L.),P. acarne(Risso), Dentex dentex(L.) andPagrus pagrus(L.), from the Western Mediterranean off Spain were collected. Specimens ofMicrocotylespp. were characterised both molecularly and morphologically. Partial fragments (domains D1-D3) of the28SrRNA gene and the cytochromecoxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene were am…

Parasites as indicators of social structure and stock identity of marine mammals

Abstract Introduction: the use of parasites as biological indicators of marine mammals has not yet received all the necessary attention. The aim of this review is to show the value of parasite data in studies of stock identity and social structure. Methods: the application of the technique to marine mammals is hampered by the lack of control over sampling conditions and the paucity of information about the biology of their parasites. Relevant criteria for, suitable parasite tags are discussed. Case studies: previous work on marine mammals is presented to illustrate the usefulness and limitations of parasite data. A study of pilot whales revealed that differences in helminth infections betwe…

To Swim or Not to Swim: Potential Transmission of Balaenophilus manatorum (Copepoda: Harpacticoida) in Marine Turtles

Species of Balaenophilus are the only harpacticoid copepods that exhibit a widespread, obligate association with vertebrates, i.e., B. unisetus with whales and B. manatorum with marine turtles and manatees. In the western Mediterranean, juveniles of the loggerhead sea turtle, Caretta caretta are the only available hosts for B. manatorum, which has been found occurring at high prevalence (>80%) on them. A key question is how these epibionts are transmitted from host to host. We investigated this issue based on experiments with live specimens of B. manatorum that were cultured with turtle skin. Specimens were obtained from head-started hatchlings of C. caretta from the western Mediterranean. …

Constructional morphology and mode of attachment of the trunk ofCorynosoma cetaceum (Acanthocephala: Polymorphidae)

Dead specimens of Corynosoma cetaceum were used to describe the trunk musculature of this species and to infer the use of the trunk as a secondary holdfast. Inferences were based on trunk muscle arrangement, changes in trunk shape, size and distribution of spines, and geometry of tegument thickness. The foretrunk of C. cetaceum is swollen and forms a spiny disk that is bent ventrally. The disk is flattened by several groups of muscles not described previously, which seem able to finely adjust the disk surface over the substratum. Disk attachment appears to be accomplished by two dorsal neck retractor muscles specialized in pulling the anchored proboscis into the foretrunk. This mechanism ha…

Neither Diplectanum nor specific: a dramatic twist to the taxonomic framework of Diplectanum (Monogenea: Diplectanidae).

The taxonomy of the genus Diplectanum has been exclusively based on morphological features, with 28 nominal species parasitic on perciform fishes recognised. We used molecular data, to our knowledge for the first time, to evaluate the taxonomic framework of Diplectanum, infer the relationships amongst species attributed to this genus, re-assess the degree of host specificity and explore the population genetic structure of Diplectanum spp. parasitising Mediterranean sciaenids, which are potential target fish species for aquaculture diversification in the region. A minimum of 10 specimens of Diplectanum spp. were sequenced per host species (Argyrosomus regius, Sciaena umbra, Umbrina canariens…

A review of virus infections of cataceans and the potential impact of morbilliviruses, poxviruses and papillomaviruses on host population dynamics.

Viruses belonging to 9 families have been detected in cetaceans. We critically review the clinical features, pathology and epidemiology of the diseases they cause. Cetacean morbillivirus (family Paramyxoviridae) induces a serious disease with a high mortality rate and persists in several populations. It may have long-term effects on the dynamics of cetacean populations either as enzootic infection or recurrent epizootics. The latter presumably have the more profound impact due to removal of sexually mature individuals. Members of the family Poxviridae infect several species of odontocetes, resulting in ring and tattoo skin lesions. Although poxviruses apparently do not induce a high mortali…

Estimating trematode prevalence in snail hosts using a single-step duplex PCR: how badly does cercarial shedding underestimate infection rates?

Background: Trematode communities often consist of different species exploiting the same host population, with two or more trematodes sometimes co-occuring in the same host. A commonly used diagnostic method to detect larval trematode infections in snails has been based on cercarial shedding, though it is often criticized as inaccurate. In the present study we compare infection prevalences determined by cercarial emission with those determined, for the first time, by molecular methods, allowing us to quantify the underestimation of single and double infections based on cercarial emission. We thus developed a duplex PCR for two host-parasite systems, to specifically differentiate between sin…

Sex-specific impact of inbreeding on pathogen load in the striped dolphin.

The impact of inbreeding on fitness has been widely studied and provides consequential inference about adaptive potential and the impact on survival for reduced and fragmented natural populations. Correlations between heterozygosity and fitness are common in the literature, but they rarely inform about the likely mechanisms. Here, we investigate a pathology with a clear impact on health in striped dolphin hosts (a nematode infection that compromises lung function). Dolphins varied with respect to their parasite burden of this highly pathogenic lung nematode (Skrjabinalius guevarai). Genetic diversity revealed by high-resolution restriction-associated DNA (43 018 RADseq single nucleotide pol…

Evaluating the presence of microplastics in striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) stranded in the Western Mediterranean Sea.

Litter is a well-known problem for marine species; however, we still know little about the extent to which they're affected by microplastics. In this study, we analyse the presence of this type of debris in Western Mediterranean striped dolphins' intestinal contents over three decades. Results indicated that frequency was high, as 90.5% of dolphins contained microplastics. Of these microplastics, 73.6% were fibres, 23.87% were fragments and 2.53% were primary pellets. In spite of the high frequency of occurrence, microplastic amount per dolphin was relatively low and highly variable (mean ± SD = 14.9 ± 22.3; 95% CI: 9.58–23.4). Through FT-IR spectrometry, we found that polyacrylamide, typic…

Not everything is everywhere: the distance decay of similarity in a marine host-parasite system

Aim  We test the similarity–distance decay hypothesis on a marine host–parasite system, inferring the relationships from abundance data gathered at the lowest scale of parasite community organization (i.e. that of the individual host). Location  Twenty-two seasonal samples of the bogue Boops boops (Teleostei: Sparidae) were collected at seven localities along a coastal positional gradient from the northern North-East Atlantic to the northern Mediterranean coast of Spain. Methods  We used our own, taxonomically consistent, data on parasite communities. The variations in parasite composition and structure with geographical and regional distance were examined at two spatial scales, namely loca…

Consumption of pelagic tunicates by cetaceans calves in the Mediterranean Sea

Gelatinous zooplankton, including jellyfish, ctenophores and pelagic tunicates, constitutes fragile marine animals that live in the water column, and represent an important resource for marine food webs through their seasonal pulses. Although there is scarce evidence on the occurrence of gelatinous zooplankton in stomach contents of apex, endothermic predators such as cetaceans, the ecological significance of such observations requires consideration. In this study, we report on the occurrence of pelagic tunicates in the stomach of three individual calves of two cetacean species from the western Mediterranean, and collate all previous reports of gelatinous zooplankton in cetacean diets. We t…

The challenge of habitat modelling for threatened low density species using heterogeneous data: The case of Cuvier’s beaked whales in the Mediterranean

We are grateful to the ACCOBAMS Secretariat for their support in this work, including a small grant for the analysis. The Mediterranean population of Cuvieŕs beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris), a deep-diving cetacean, is genetically distinct from the Atlantic, and subject to a number of conservation threats, in particular underwater noise. It is also cryptic at the surface and relatively rare, so obtain robust knowledge on distribution and abundance presents unique challenges. Here we use multiplatform and multiyear survey data to analyse the distribution and abundance of this species across the Mediterranean Sea. We use a novel approach combining heterogeneous data gathered with different …

GASTROINTESTINAL HELMINTHS OF THE DUSKY DOLPHIN, LAGENORHYNCHUS OBSCURUS (GRAY, 1828), OFF PATAGONIA, IN THE SOUTHWESTERN ATLANTIC

The stomachs and intestines of 23 dusky dolphins incidentally caught in a trawl fishery off Patagonia were surveyed for helminths. All the dolphins were parasitized, with a total of 3,936 helminth individuals. Only five species occurred, of which three were common (prevalence ± 10%): Anisakis simplex, Braunina cordiformis and Hadwenius sp. A. simplex was present in all the dolphins and showed the highest abundance and mean intensity (104.9 individuals/infected host). B. cordiformis was next most common (87%), and Hadwenius sp. third (52.2%). A. simplex was found mostly in the stomach (94.8%), B. cordiformis in the duodenal ampulla (51.4%), and Hadwenius sp. in the stomach (64.5%). The rare …

Tetraphyllidean plerocercoids from Western Mediterranean cetaceans and other marine mammals around the world: a comprehensive morphological analysis.

Tetraphyllidean plerocercoids have occasionally been reported in marine mammals, but they have rarely been described in detail, and the ecological significance of these infections is unclear. We described plerocercoids collected from the mucosa of the terminal colon and rectum, the anal crypts, and the hepatopancreatic ducts of 7 striped dolphins Stenella coeruleoalba, 1 Cuvier's beaked whale Ziphius cavirostris, and 3 Risso's dolphins Grampus griseus from the Spanish Mediterranean. We also examined undescribed plerocercoids from 3 cetacean species from the Atlantic and the Pacific. All plerocercoids had a lanceolate body, and a scolex with an apical sucker and 4 sessile monolocular bothrid…

Using Boops boops (osteichthyes) to assess microplastic ingestion in the Mediterranean Sea

Abstract This study assesses microplastic ingestion in Boops boops at different geographical areas in the Mediterranean Sea. A total of 884 fish were caught at 20 coastal sites in Spain, France, Italy and Greece and analyzed using a common methodological protocol. Microplastics were found in 46.8% of the sampled fish, with an average number of items per individual of 1.17 ± 0.07. Filaments were the predominant shape type, while polyethylene and polypropylene were indicated by FTIR as the most common polymer types of ingested microplastics. The frequency of occurrence, as well as the abundance and proportion of types (size, shape, color and polymer) of ingested microplastics, varied among ge…

The university, driver of innovation

Several universities have recently made the front page of newspapers, televisions, and other media, but, unfortunately, the reason behind this was not their day-to-day work, focused on training and research, but some cases of malpractice by certain academics who used and abused the institution for personal gain. 
 By its very nature as a public service, the University is based on analysis and criticism, including self-criticism. Very few institutions are. Perhaps that is why, without ignoring the fact that there is room for improvement, we must prove the increasingly important role that these public bodies have been given, as well as their achievements for social benefit and progress. …

Life-history trade-offs in a generalist digenean from cetaceans: the role of host specificity and environmental factors

Background Adults and larvae of generalist parasites are exposed to diverse hosts and local environmental conditions throughout their life cycles, thus local adaptation is expected to occur through phenotypic plasticity and/or natural selection. We investigated how the combined effect of cryptic host specificity and local selective pressures could shape reproductive traits of a putative generalist parasite in the oceanic realm. Methods The LSU rDNA, ITS2 and the mt-COI of individuals of the digenean Pholeter gastrophilus (Kossack, 1910) Odhner, 1914 (Heterophyidae Leiper, 1909) from oceanic striped dolphins, Stenella coeruleoalba Meyen, and coastal bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus Mo…

Effects of the gill parasite Zeuxapta seriolae (Monogenea: Heteraxinidae) on the amberjack Seriola dumerili Risso (Teleostei: Carangidae)

Zeuxapta seriolae (Monogenea: Heteraxinidae) infection was associated with important mortalities of amberjacks (Seriola dumerili) reared in tanks in the experimental facilities of the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (Western Mediterranean) during the period 1998–2000. Fish infested by this parasite presented characteristics similar to those described for Seriola quinqueradiata parasitized by Heteraxine heterocerca in Japan. All dead amberjacks had high parasite abundance (mean abundance±S.D.=686.7±125.4) and egg strings entangled in gills. The parasitological analysis of 17 live amberjacks collected from the infested tanks showed that 41.2% of fish harboured Z. seriolae with intensities r…

Acanthocephalans from Marine Fishes from Patagonia, Argentina

In this study, 542 individual fish from 20 species from the Patagonian continental shelf of Argentina were examined for acanthocephalans. A total of 1,547 acanthocephalans belonging to 5 species were collected from 18 species of fish. Adult forms were represented by 2 species: Aspersentis johni (Baylis, 1929) (Heteracanthocephalidae) from longtail southern cod, Patagonotothen ramsayi (Regan) (new host record), and Breizacanthus aznari Herna´ndez-Orts, Alama-Bermejo, Crespo, Garcı´a, Raga and Montero, 2012 (Arhythmacanthidae) from raneya, Raneya brasiliensis (Kaup). Immature worms of B. aznari were also collected from the intestine of pink cusk-eel, Genypterus blacodes (Forster) (new host re…

Influence of environmental factors on small cetacean distribution in the Spanish Mediterranean

Habitat distribution models are one of the most up to date methods to study the habitat usage of wildlife populations. They allow animal distribution to be related to environmental features and also the prediction of the distribution of animals based on this relationship. Seasonal aerial surveys were conducted in central Spanish Mediterranean waters from June 2000 to March 2003 to obtain information on the distribution of cetacean species. Data from the three most common cetacean species (striped dolphin,Stenella coeruleoalba, bottlenose dolphin,Tursiops truncatus, and Risso's dolphin,Grampus griseus) were related, using generalized linear models, to local environmental features: depth, slo…

Diclidophora merlangi (Monogenea: Diclidophoridae) on Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua.

Diclidophora merlangi (Kuhn, in Nordmann, 1832), as species specific to whiting, Merlangius merlangus (Linnaeus, 1758), is reported and described for the first time on the gills of Atlantic cod Gadus morhua (Linnaeus, 1758). Of the about 1,200 cod examined in this article, only 2 specimens of D. merlangi occurred on 2 fish, suggesting that they represented accidental infections. The 2 specimens showed specific traits of D. merlangi, but their size was considerably smaller than that of D. merlangi on whiting. Principal-component analyses showed that the morphology of the specimens on cod was more similar to that of D. merlangi than those of other congeneric species from the North Atlantic, a…

Viruses of Cetaceans

Causes of cetacean stranding and death on the Catalonian coast (western Mediterranean Sea), 2012-2019

The causes of cetacean stranding and death along the Catalan coast between 2012 and 2019 were systematically investigated. Necropsies and detailed pathological investigations were performed on 89 well-preserved stranded cetaceans, including 72 striped dolphins Stenella coeruleoalba, 9 Risso’s dolphins Grampus griseus, 5 bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus, 1 common dolphin Delphinus delphis, 1 Cuvier’s beaked whale Ziphius cavirostris and 1 fin whale Balaenoptera physalus. The cause of death was determined for 89.9% of the stranded cetaceans. Fisheries interaction was the most frequent cause of death in striped dolphins (27.8%) and bottlenose dolphins (60%). Cetacean morbillivirus (CeMV)…

Supplementary tables and figures from Sex-specific impact of inbreeding on pathogen load in the striped dolphin

The impact of inbreeding on fitness has been widely studied and provides consequential inference about the adaptive potential and the impact on survival for reduced and fragmented natural populations. Correlations between heterozygosity and fitness are common in the literature, but they rarely inform about the likely mechanisms. Here, we investigate a pathology with a clear impact on health in striped dolphin hosts (a nematode infection that compromises lung function). Dolphins varied with respect to their parasite burden of this highly pathogenic lung nematode (Skrjabinalius guevarai). Genetic diversity revealed by high-resolution restriction-associated DNA (43 018 RADseq SNPs) analyses sh…

Insight into the role of cetaceans in the life cycle of the tetraphyllideans (Platyhelminthes: Cestoda)

Abstract Four types of tetraphyllidean larvae infect cetaceans worldwide: two plerocercoids differing in size, ‘small’ (SP) and ‘large’ (LP), and two merocercoids referred to as Phyllobothrium delphini and Monorygma grimaldii . The latter merocercoid larvae parasitize marine mammals exclusively and exhibit a specialised cystic structure. Adult stages are unknown for any of the larvae and thus the role of cetaceans in the life cycle of these species has been a long-standing problem. The SP and LP forms are thought to be earlier stages of P. delphini and M. grimaldii that are presumed to infect large pelagic sharks that feed on cetaceans. A molecular analysis of the D2 variable region of the …

Determining suitable fish to monitor plastic ingestion trends in the Mediterranean Sea

The presence of marine litter is a complex, yet persistent, threat to the health and biodiversity of the marine environment, and plastic is the most abundant, and ubiquitous type of marine litter. To monitor the level of plastic waste in an area, and the prospect of it entering the food chain, bioindicator species are used extensively throughout Northern European Seas, however due to their distribution ranges many are not applicable to the Mediterranean Sea. Guidance published for the Marine Strategy Framework Directive suggests that the contents of fish stomachs may be analyzed to determine trends of marine plastic ingestion. In order to equate transnational trends in marine plastic ingest…

Epidemiological pattern of tattoo skin disease: a potential general health indicator for cetaceans

The presence of tattoo skin disease (TSD) was examined in 1392 free-ranging and dead odontocetes comprising 17 species from the Americas, Europe, South Africa, New Zealand and Greenland. We investigated whether TSD prevalence varied with sex, age and health status. TSD was encountered in cetaceans from the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans as well as in those from the North, Mediterranean and Tasman Seas. No clear patterns related to geography and host phylogeny were detected, except that prevalence of TSD in juveniles and, in 2 species (dusky dolphin Lagenorhynchus obscurus and Burmeister’s porpoise Phocoena spinipinnis), in adults was remarkably high in samples from Peru. Environmental factors …

A new species of Empruthotrema (Monogenea: Monocotylidae) from Pteromylaeus bovinus (Myliobatidae) from the Western Mediterranean.

Empruthotrema chisholmae n. sp. is described from specimens recovered from a bull ray Pteromylaeus bovinus (Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1817) at the Oceanogràfic Aquarium in Valencia, Spain. The bull ray was caught in the Spanish Mediterranean (Puerto de Mazarrón, Murcia). The new species resembles 4 others of the same genus ( Empruthotrema dasyatidis Whittington and Kearn, 1992, Empruthotrema kearni Whittington, 1990, Empruthotrema stenophallus Chisholm and Whittington, 2005, and Empruthotrema tasmaniensis Chisholm and Whittington, 1999) in having a haptor with 13 marginal loculi, the posteriormost loculus single and medial. The new species can be distinguished from these other species of the …

Diet of Risso's dolphin (<i>Grampus griseus</i>) in the western Mediterranean Sea

The diet of Risso’s dolphin in the Mediterranean is described based on 15 animals stranded between 40°25’N 00°32’W and 37°35’N 00°45’E from April 1987 to January 2003. The prey were mainly oceanic cephalopods. Pelagic octopods, especially A. argo, were the most abundant (mean = 41.28%; SD±34.32). Species belonging to the families Ommastrephidae, Histioteuthidae and Onychoteuthidae were also frequent components of its diet. The bathymetric distribution of cephalopods shows that Risso’s dolphin preferentially feeds on the middle slope (600 to 800 m depth) in the Mediterranean.

Living on the Edge: Settlement Patterns by the Symbiotic Barnacle Xenobalanus globicipitis on Small Cetaceans

The highly specialized coronulid barnacle Xenobalanus globicipitis attaches exclusively on cetaceans worldwide, but little is known about the factors that drive the microhabitat patterns on its hosts. We investigate this issue based on data on occurrence, abundance, distribution, orientation, and size of X. globicipitis collected from 242 striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) that were stranded along the Mediterranean coast of Spain. Barnacles exclusively infested the fins, particularly along the trailing edge. Occurrence, abundance, and density of X. globicipitis were significantly higher, and barnacles were significantly larger, on the caudal fin than on the flippers and dorsal fin. Ba…

Reduction and variability of trunk spines in the acanthocephalan Corynosoma cetaceum: the role of physical constraints on attachment

. In this study, we investigated a functional trade-off between trunk attachment and trunk-spine development in the acanthocephalan Corynosoma cetaceum. The worms live attached to the stomach and upper intestine of their cetacean definitive hosts, using the proboscis and spiny foretrunk as the main holdfast; the spiny hindtrunk can also attach by bending ventrally. When the hindtrunk bends, ventral compression generates an anterior fold (AF) and a posterior fold (PF). A morphological analysis based on 7,823 individuals collected from 10 franciscana dolphins, Pontoporia blainvillei, revealed that spines were smaller and more variable in size and occurrence in the folds than on neighboring ar…

Post-larval development of the microcotylid monogenean Sparicotyle chrysophrii (Van Beneden and Hesse, 1863): comparison with species of Microcotylidae and Heteraxinidae.

Abstract The chronology of post-larval development in S. chrysophrii, a polyopisthocotylean monogenean parasite of the gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata L.), was experimentally studied. It is compared with other species within the Microcotylidae and the Heteraxinidae, including an analysis of the changes in attachment and the growth rate. Gilthead seabreams infected by larvae of S. chrysophrii were killed periodically in order to collect the different developmental stages. Parasite total body length, haptor length, largest clamp width, and total number of clamps were recorded. Specimens of S. chrysophrii in culture conditions at 20 °C became gravid after 26–30 days, with 37 pairs of clamps. …

Morphological and attachment changes of Lamellodiscus theroni (Monogenea: Diplectanidae) during its post-larval development on fish.

Species of the genus Lamellodiscus Johnston et Tiegs, 1922 (Monogenea: Diplectanidae) are characterised by a complex haptor bearing many different attachment elements: two pairs of main hooks joined by medial bars, 14 peripheral marginal hooks and one or two lamellodiscs, formed by several overlapping sclerotised plates (lamellae). These haptoral structures appear gradually during parasite development and, therefore, attachment strategies vary with developmental stage. The main aim of this work was to study the developmental changes of Lamellodiscus theroni Amine, Euzet et Kechemir-Issad, 2007 under experimental conditions, with special attention to the gradual variations in attachment stra…

Pseudoallencotyla gen. n., a new genus for Allencotyla pricei (Kritsky, Noble et Moser, 1978) (Monogenea: Heteraxinidae), with a key to genera of Heteraxininae.

In this study, we clarify the taxonomic status of Allencotyla pricei based on a re-examination of paratypes and voucher specimens. Four important characters are added to previous descriptions: the vagina is ventral; the cirrus is absent; the eggs are fusiform and have two polar filaments (one about 3.5 times longer than the other); and, there are two flat sclerites at each side of the dorsal trident-shaped sclerite in the clamps. A comparison of A. pricei with species from all the genera of the Heteraxininae, including Allencotyla mcintoshi, indicates that A. pricei has several exclusive characters, i.e., a ventral vagina, vaginal armature, two additional dorsal sclerites in the clamps, a v…

Scanning electron microscopy of Antarctophthirus microchir (Phthiraptera: Anoplura: Echinophthiriidae): Studying morphological adaptations to aquatic life

The members of the Family Echinophthiriidae (Phthiraptera: Anoplura) are unique among insects because they infest hosts with an amphibious lifestyle. During their evolution they developed morphological traits that are reflected in unique features. The SEM is a helpful tool to analyze them. Knowing in detail the external structure of these lice is the first step to understand the whole process that derived from the co-adaptation of lice and pinnipeds to the marine environment. For the first time, we studied the external structure of all stages of an echinophthiriid louse. The results are discussed in the light of their evolutionary, functional, and ecological implications. Fil: Leonardi, Mar…

Evolutionary relationships between digeneans of the family Brachycladiidae Odhner, 1905 and their marine mammal hosts: A cophylogenetic study.

Cophylogenetic studies examine the congruence between host and parasite phylogenies. There are few studies that quantify the relative contribution of coevolutionary events, i.e. duplication, loss, failure-to-diverge, host-switching and spreading in trophically-transmitted parasites at the marine realm. We addressed this issue in the Brachycladiidae, a cosmopolitan digenean family specific to marine mammals. We used, for the first time, distance-based and event-based methods to explicitly test the coevolutionary events that have shaped the current brachycladiid-marine mammal associations. Parasite phylogeny was constructed using mtDNA ND3 sequences of nine brachycladiid species, and host phy…

From mammals back to birds: Host-switch of the acanthocephalan Corynosoma australe from pinnipeds to the Magellanic penguin Spheniscus magellanicus.

Trophically-transmitted parasites are regularly exposed to potential new hosts through food web interactions. Successful colonization, or switching, to novel hosts, occur readily when ?donor? and ?target? hosts are phylogenetically related, whereas switching between distantly related hosts is rare and may result from stochastic factors (i.e. rare favourable mutations). This study investigates a host-switching event between a marine acanthocephalan specific to pinnipeds that is apparently able to reproduce in Magellanic penguins Spheniscus magellanicus from Brazil. Detailed analysis of morphological and morphometrical data from acanthocephalans from penguins indicates that they belong to Cor…

A new cystidicolid nematode from Mullus surmuletus (Perciformes: Mullidae) from the western Mediterranean.

Ascarophis valentina n. sp. is described from Mullus surmuletus off the Valencian coast of Spain on the basis of both light and scanning electron microscopy. It can be distinguished from the other members of the genus by the length of the left (long) spicule of the males and by egg morphology. An updated grouping of the species of Ascarophis considered valid is provided with respect to these characters. The new species resembles Ascarophis capelanus, belonging to the group of species possessing eggs with a single polar knob with filaments, but is distinguished by the size of the body, the length of the esophagus (especially in relation to body length), the position of the vulva, and the siz…

Taxonomic status and epidemiology of the mesoparasitic copepod Pennella balaenoptera in cetaceans from the western Mediterranean.

Pennella balaenoptera is a mesoparasitic copepod that has been reported in at least 17 cetacean species. Subtle morphological differences in the first antennae of adult females have been used to discriminate this species from P. filosa, a species infecting fishes. Other morphological traits are unreliable because of their high plasticity, and no molecular data are available to confirm the taxonomic status of P. balaenoptera as an independent species. We found no consistent morphological differences of the first antennae between P. balaenoptera and P. filosa collected from cetaceans and fish in the western Mediterranean. Molecular data on the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I failed…

Accacoelium contortum (Trematoda: Accacoeliidae) a trematode living as a monogenean: morphological and pathological implications

Background Accacoelium contortum (Rudolphi, 1819) Monticelli, 1893 is a frequent but poorly known trematode found on gills, pharynx and digestive tract of the ocean sunfish Mola mola (L.). Although the morphology of A. contortum agrees with that of a typical endoparasitic trematode, with two relatively small suckers and no large holdfasts, this parasite is normally ectoparasitic. The main objective of this paper is to explore this peculiar host-parasite relationship. Methods A total of 106 ocean sunfish were examined for the presence of A. contortum. The oropharyngeal chamber (gills and pharynx) and the digestive tract were analysed. As the previous descriptions of this species seem to be b…

Population Structure and Habitat Selection by Anisakis simplex in 4 Odontocete Species from Northern Argentina

We described the population structure and habitat selection of Anisakis simplex in 46 franciscanas, Pontoporia blainvillei, 8 Burmeister's porpoises, Phocoena spinnipinis, 2 Dusky dolphins, Lagenorhynchus ob- scurus, and 2 common dolphins, Delphinus delphis, caught incidentally in the coastal fisheries of northern Argentina. Prevalence ranged from 50% to 100%, but mean intensities were low (1.0-3.6), suggesting that A. simplex has low recruitment rates to coastal dolphins in this area. Adult nematodes were found exclusively in the main stomach of 64.5% of franciscanas (the first stomach of this species) and the forestomach of 50% of Burmeister's porpoises and Dusky dolphins. Other developme…

Presencia y análisis genético de una tortuga bastarda (Lepidochelys kempii) en el mar Mediterráneo

We report on a juvenile Kemp´s ridley sea turtle, Lepidochelys kempii, captured alive by fishermen in the waters off Alicante (western Mediterranean, Spain) on October 15th 2001. The analysis of a 460 base pair fragment of the mt DNA control region revealed a perfect match with haplotype D previously described in this species. This is the second report of L. kempii in the Mediterranean basin.

Marine debris ingestion in loggerhead sea turtles, Caretta caretta, from the Western Mediterranean

Marine debris represents an important threat for sea turtles, but information on this topic is scarce in some areas, such as the Mediterranean sea. This paper quantifies marine debris ingestion in 54 juvenile loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) illegally captured by fishermen in Spanish Mediterranean waters. Curved carapace length was measured, necropsies were performed and debris abundance and type was recorded. Different types of debris appeared in the gastrointestinal tract of 43 turtles (79.6%), being plastics the most frequent (75.9%). Tar, paper, Styrofoam, wood, reed, feathers, hooks, lines, and net fragments were also present. A regression analysis showed that the volume of deb…

Assessing cetacean surveys throughout the Mediterranean Sea: a gap analysis in environmental space

Heterogeneous data collection in the marine environment has led to large gaps in our knowledge of marine species distributions. To fill these gaps, models calibrated on existing data may be used to predict species distributions in unsampled areas, given that available data are sufficiently representative. Our objective was to evaluate the feasibility of mapping cetacean densities across the entire Mediterranean Sea using models calibrated on available survey data and various environmental covariates. We aggregated 302,481 km of line transect survey effort conducted in the Mediterranean Sea within the past 20 years by many organisations. Survey coverage was highly heterogeneous geographicall…

Cephalopods in the diet of the striped dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba from the western Mediterranean during an epizootic in 1990

Fifteen cephalopod species from 28 stomach contents of striped dolphins, Stenella coeruleoalba (Meyen, 1833), stranded during an epizootic on the western Mediterranean coast in summer 1990, were analysed. Albraliopsis pfefferi, Onychoteuthis banksii, Todarodes sagittatus and Brachioteuthis riisei are species showing higher relative importance indices. Composition and characteristics of cephalopod preys were discussed and compared to the scarce literature for this cetacean. The data showed a mixed diet of muscular and gelatinous body squids, mainly consisting of oceanic and pelagic or bathypelagic species.

Blood fluke diseases in Pagellus spp. (Sparidae): Pathology and description of a new species of Skoulekia in the blackspot seabream P. bogaraveo (Brünnich)

Abstract Pagellus bogaraveo (Brunnich) and P. erythrinus (L.) (Perciformes, Sparidae) are highly appreciated by Mediterranean consumers and good candidates for the Mediterranean aquaculture diversification. Parasitological and histological analyses of both sparid species, collected off Santa Pola (Spanish Mediterranean), have been performed in order to detect blood flukes (Trematoda, Aporocotylidae) and the pathologies related to their presence in these valuable hosts. Eggs of two different species of Skoulekia Alama-Bermejo, Montero, Raga and Holzer, 2011 have been found in both fishes: S. erythrini Palacios-Abella, Georgieva, Mele, Raga, Isbert, Kostadinova and Montero, 2017 in P. erythri…

Patterns of trunk spine growth in two congeneric species of acanthocephalan: investment in attachment may differ between sexes and species.

SUMMARYAcanthocephalans have evolved a hooked proboscis and some taxa have trunk spines to attach to their definitive hosts. These structures are generated before being used, thus a key question is how investment in attachment could optimally be allocated through the ontogeny. The number and arrangement of hooks and spines are never modified in the definitive host, but it is unclear whether these structures grow during adult development. A comparison of the size of trunk spines between cystacanths and adults of Corynosoma cetaceum and C. australe indicated that spines grow in both species, but only in females, which also had significantly larger spines than males. This sexual dimorphism did…

Occurrence of Kemp's ridley sea turtle ( Lepidochelys kempii) in the Mediterranean

Recent reports of Kemp's ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempii) in the Western Mediterranean calls for a re-assessment of the relative importance and the presence of this species in this sea. Different hypotheses to account for the increase in reports are discussed. The present note provides a new report of the species, a juvenile of 28 cm curved carapace length caught close to Valencia (east Spain) on 16 July 2006. Conservation measures in the area should consider this species in the near future.

Dieta del delfín de Risso (Grampus griseus) en el Mediterráneo occidental

DIETA DEL DELFÍN DE RISSO (GRAMPUS GRISEUS) EN EL MEDITERRÁNEO OCCIDENTAL. – Se ha analizado el contenido gastrointestinal de quince ejemplares de Grampus griseus varados en el Mediterráneo occidental entre 40º25’N 00º32’W y 37º35’N 00º45’E durante el período 1987 a 2003. Los resultados indican una dieta teutófaga, basada principalmente en cefalópodos oceánicos destacando los octópodos pelágicos, especialmente Argonauta argo, como la presa más abundante (media = 41,28%; SD±34,32). Algunas especies pertenecientes a las familias mmastrephidae, Histioteuthidae y Onychoteuthidae son también componentes frecuentes de la misma. La distribución batimétrica de los cefalópodos indica que el área de …

Three species of Magnibursatus Naidenova, 1969 (Digenea: Derogenidae) from Atlantic and Black Sea marine teleosts

Three species of Magnibursatus Naidenova, 1969 are described from marine teleosts: M. skrjabini (Vlasenko, 1931), the type species of the genus, from the gobiid Zosterisessor ophiocephalus on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast; M. bartolii sp. n. from the sparid Boops boops off the Atlantic coast of Spain; and M. minutus sp. n. from the gobiid Neogobius eurycephalus on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. M. bartolii differs from all other Magnibursatus species in its larger sinus-sac (length >250 µm, width >150 µm) and the more posterior location of testes. This species is also unusual in that it occurs in the branchial chamber and on the gills of its host. M. minutus is distinguished by the distinct…

Running against time: conservation of the remaining hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) nesting population in the Dominican Republic

Saona Island hosts the last hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) nesting population in the Dominican Republic, which has experienced a severe decline in the last decades, mostly due to illegal egg take. Here we present the results of an artificial incubation programme started in 2007 to protect the clutches from human predation. A preliminary survey in 2006 showed that about 60% of clutches laid were taken by humans. Over the study period (2007–2010) we recorded 400 clutches, of which 38.2% were predated by humans, 40.7% were artificially incubated and 21% were incubated in situ. Overall, the artificial incubation programme allowed the release of 12,340 hatchlings. No differences were …

3D Morphology, ultrastructure and development of Ceratomyxa puntazzi stages: first insights into the mechanisms of motility and budding in the Myxozoa.

Free, amoeboid movement of organisms within media as well as substrate-dependent cellular crawling processes of cells and organisms require an actin cytoskeleton. This system is also involved in the cytokinetic processes of all eukaryotic cells. Myxozoan parasites are known for the disease they cause in economical important fishes. Usually, their pathology is related to rapid proliferation in the host. However, the sequences of their development are still poorly understood, especially with regard to pre-sporogonic proliferation mechanisms. The present work employs light microscopy (LM), electron microscopy (SEM, TEM) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) in combination with specific…

Serological evidence of Brucella species infection in odontocetes from the south Pacific and the Mediterranean

Sera from 58 odontocetes taken in fisheries off Peru in 1993 to 1995 and from 24-cetaceans stranded along the Spanish coast of the Mediterranean in 1997 to 1999 were tested for the presence of Brucella species antibodies in competitive and indirect ELISAS (cELISA and iELISA). Among the animals from Peru, 21 of 27 (77.8 per cent) Lagenorhynchus obscurus, three of six Delphinus capensis, one of two inshore and two of three offshore Tursiops truncatus and five of 20 (25 per cent) Phocoena spinipinnis were positive in the cELISA. Brucella species antibodies were also observed in two of 16 (12.5 per cent) Stenella coeruleoalba and in one of two T truncatus from the Mediterranean. These data prov…

Biogeography and temporal progression during the evolution of striped dolphin population structure in European waters

Aim: We investigated the population genetic structure of a highly mobile marine species, the striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba (Meyen, 1833), along a geographical range with habitat transitions and historical dynamics to identify the causes of genetic divergence, and to assess the effect of past climate change on demography and population connectivity. Location: North-east Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. Methods: Twenty microsatellite loci were used in conjunction with coalescent methods to investigate the genetic structure and demographic history of striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) in the Mediterranean Sea and eastern North Atlantic Ocean. Approximate Bayesian modelling …

Reproductive inequalities in the acanthocephalan Corynosoma cetaceum: looking beyond 'crowding' effects.

Background: At present, much research effort has been devoted to investigate overall (average) responses of parasite populations to specific factors, e.g., density-dependence in fecundity or mortality. However, studies on parasite populations usually pay little attention to individual variation (inequality) in reproductive success. A previous study on the acanthocephalan Corynosoma cetaceum in franciscana dolphins, Pontoporia blainvillei, revealed no overall intensity-dependent, or microhabitat effects, on mass and fecundity of worms. In this study, we investigated whether the same factors could influence mass inequalities for this species of acanthocephalan.Methods: A total of 10,138 speci…

Phylogenetic relationships of the family Campulidae (Trematoda) based on 18S rRNA sequences

Traditionally, the family Campulidae has been associated either with the family Fasciolidae, parasites of ruminants, or the Acanthocolpidae, parasites of fishes, based on morphological similarities. Since morphology does not seem to resolve clearly the problem of the relationships of campulids, we have used the sequences of the 18S rRNA gene of the campulids Zalophotrema hepaticum, Campula oblonga and Nasitrema globicephalae, the fasciolid Fasciola hepatica, the acanthocolpid Stephanostomum baccatum and the outgroup Schistosoma mansoni to infer a phylogeny. Maximum parsimony and neighbour-joining methods were applied. Both methods indicated that campulids are closer to acanthocolpids than f…

Assessing the efficacy of direct conservation interventions: clutch protection of the leatherback marine turtle in the Dominican Republic

AbstractThe beaches of Jaragua National Park in the Dominican Republic are the country's last known major nesting site for the leatherback marine turtle Dermochelys coriacea. This nesting aggregation is threatened by widespread illegal egg take, and clutch relocation and artificial incubation have been carried out as protection measures since 1974. We assess the efficacy of such efforts and investigate how artificial incubation may be influencing the success and sex ratios of clutches. We compare hatching success, incubation duration and embryo mortality in in-situ clutches (n = 43) with those incubated artificially at sites in the east and west of the Park (n = 35 and n = 31, respectively)…

Niche partitioning amongst northwestern Mediterranean cetaceans using stable isotopes

Abstract Ten species of cetaceans coexist in the Mediterranean Sea, one of the richest seas in biodiversity and endemisms worldwide. The conservation status of Mediterranean cetaceans has been a concern for many years, particularly due to increasing anthropogenic threats such as global warming and overfishing. We established the stable isotopic niches of carbon, nitrogen, and sulphur for five species of cetaceans inhabiting the northwestern Mediterranean Sea to elucidate the mechanisms of coexistence. The fin whale exploited epipelagic habitats with a low trophic level; the bottlenose dolphin was mostly neritic and had a high trophic level; the Risso’s dolphin was oceanic and fed bathypelag…

Microtriches of tetraphyllidean metacestodes from Western Mediterranean striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba)

The tegumental structures of two types of tetraphyllidean plerocercoids and two types of merocercoids (Phyllobothrium delphini and Monorygma grimaldii) from Mediterranean striped dolphins, Stenella coeruleoalba, are described for the first time using scanning electron microscopy. The tegument of all of the specimens was fully covered with microtriches. Four basic types were found: filitriches, blade-like spinitriches of different sizes and shapes, cone-shaped spinitriches (with two parallel small projections of equal length at the apex), and crowned cylindrical spinitriches (with 6–7 small papillae forming a crown at the apex); the two latter types are newly described. The two types of pler…

Comparative study of the three attachment mechanisms of diplectanid monogeneans

Abstract One of the main characteristics of the monogenean family Diplectanidae Monticelli, 1903 is their complex haptor formed by 2 pairs of hooks, transversal bars, 14 peripheral marginal hooks, and accessory adhesive organ (lamellodisc or squamodisc) that can be present or absent. Sub-family Lamellodiscinae Oliver, 1969 presents one or two lamellodiscs, formed by several overlapped lamellar esclerites (lamellae) which are piled up. Species like Furnestina echeneis only have one large ventral lamellodisc. This organ function has been categorized in different ways (i.e. accessory adhesive organ, supplementary or compensating disc or sucker), although its real mode of operation and function…

Redescription ofOdhneriella subtila (Skrjabin, 1959) (Digenea: Campulidae) from the intestine ofGlobicephala melaena (Traill, 1809) (Cetacea: Delphinidae) off the Faroe Islands (North-East Atlantic)

During parasitological investigations of long-finned pilot whales,Globicephala melaena (Traill, 1809), in the Faroe Islands, the trematode speciesOdhneriella subtila (Digenea: Campulidae), parasitising the small intestine, was detected. Skrjabin's (1959) original description of this species was based on a single individual. The collection and availability for study of several thousands of specimens permitted the redescription of this campulid and the noting of some new morphological characters. This trematode is reported for the first time from the long-finned pilot whale, and the Atlantic Ocean is a new locality record.

Dolphin morbillivirus epizootic resurgence, Mediterranean Sea

In July 2007, > 100 striped dolphins, Stenella coeruleoalba, were found dead along the coast of the Spanish Mediterranean. Of 10 dolphins tested, 7 were positive for a virus strain closely related to the dolphin morbillivirus that was isolated during a previous epizootic in 1990.

Come rain or come shine: environmental effects on the infective stages of Sparicotyle chrysophrii, a key pathogen in Mediterranean aquaculture

Background Evidence concerning the environmental influence on monogenean transmission and infection processes is widely accepted, although only the effects of a limited number of abiotic factors on particular monogenean species have been explored. The current context of climate change calls for further research both on this subject, and also that concerning monogenean hosts, especially in aquaculture. Methods In this study, four experiments were used to assess the response of the infective stages of Sparicotyle chrysophrii, a pathogenic monogenean from gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) cultures in the Mediterranean, to variations of temperature (from 10 °C to 30 °C), pH (7.0 and 7.9), phot…

Oncomiracidial development, survival and swimming behaviour of the monogenean Sparicotyle chrysophrii (Van Beneden and Hesse, 1863)

Abstract Oncomiracidial development of Sparicotyle chrysophrii , a monogenean parasite of Sparus aurata , was analysed using 450 eggs. Parasite morphological changes in time, data on hatching success, as well as oncomiracidial survival and swimming behaviour were recorded. Eggs were maintained at 20 °C and exposed to LD 12:12. They were observed under the stereomicroscope every 8 h until they hatched. Thereafter, 155 oncomiracidia were isolated in separate wells and observed every 2 h until their death. Most of the hatchings occurred in a short period of time (approximately 24 h). Hatching success was 87% and the hatching period ranged from 5 to 10 days after deposition, with most of the ha…

In vivo fluorescent cercariae reveal the entry portals of Cardiocephaloides longicollis (Rudolphi, 1819) Dubois, 1982 (Strigeidae) into the gilthead seabream Sparus aurata L.

Background Despite their complex life-cycles involving various types of hosts and free-living stages, digenean trematodes are becoming recurrent model systems. The infection and penetration strategy of the larval stages, i.e. cercariae, into the fish host is poorly understood and information regarding their entry portals is not well-known for most species. Cardiocephaloides longicollis (Rudolphi, 1819) Dubois, 1982 (Digenea, Strigeidae) uses the gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata L.), an important marine fish in Mediterranean aquaculture, as a second intermediate host, where they encyst in the brain as metacercariae. Labelling the cercariae with in vivo fluorescent dyes helped us to track the…

Data from: Assessing cetacean surveys throughout the Mediterranean Sea: a gap analysis in environmental space

Heterogeneous data collection in the marine environment has led to large gaps in our knowledge of marine species distributions. To fill these gaps, models calibrated on existing data may be used to predict species distributions in unsampled areas, given that available data are sufficiently representative. Our objective was to evaluate the feasibility of mapping cetacean densities across the entire Mediterranean Sea using models calibrated on available survey data and various environmental covariates. We aggregated 302,481 km of line transect survey effort conducted in the Mediterranean Sea within the past 20 years by many organisations. Survey coverage was highly heterogeneous geographicall…