Salmincola californiensis infected 25 of 31 (prevalence 0.8; intensity 2-35 [mean 6.6 ± standard deviation 7.7; n = 25]) rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, from a private trout farm connected to the Watauga River, North Carolina. Salmincola edwardsii infected all of 9 (1.0; 2-43 [9.3 ± 13.0; 9]) brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis, from Big Norton Prong, a tributary of the Little Tennessee River, North Carolina. Both lernaeopodids are well-known salmonid pathogens, but neither is native to, nor has been previously taxonomically confirmed from, the southeastern United States. Herein, we (1) use light and scanning electron microscopy to identify and provide supplemental morphological observations of these lernaeopodids, (2) furnish complementary molecular sequence data from the 28S rDNA (28S), and (3) document the pathological effects of gill infections. We identified and differentiated these lernaeopodids by the second antenna (exopod tip with large [S. californiensis] vs. slender [S. edwardsii] spines; endopod terminal segment with subequal ventral processes shorter than [S. californiensis] vs. longer than or equal to [S. edwardsii] dorsal hook), maxilliped palp (length typically ≤1/3 [S. californiensis] vs. 1/3-1/2 [S. edwardsii] subchela length exclusive of claw), and bulla (sub-circular and concave on manubrium's side [S. californiensis] vs. non-stellate [S. edwardsii]). Analysis of the 28S rDNA sequences confirmed our taxonomic assignments as demonstrated by 100% sequence similarity among the sympatric, morphologically-conspecific isolates. Histopathology revealed focal gill epithelial hyperplasia, obstruction of interlamellar water channels, lamellar fusion, and crypting of gill filaments. High intensity infections by either lernaeopodid are surveillance-worthy because they are potentially pathogenic to trout in the southeastern United States.
Eggs and larvae of Huffmanela oleumimica n. sp. infect red snapper, Lutjanus campechanus (Poey, 1860), were collected from the Texas-Louisiana Shelf (28°16'36.58″N, 93°03'51.08″W) and are herein described using light and scanning electron microscopy. Eggs in skin comprised fields (1-5 × 1-12 mm; 250 eggs/mm(2)) of variously oriented eggs deposited in dense patches or in scribble-like tracks. Eggs had clear (larvae indistinct, principally vitelline material), amber (developing larvae present) or brown (fully developed larvae present; little, or no, vitelline material) shells and measured 46-54 μm (x = 50; SD ± 1.6; n = 213) long, 23-33 (27 ± 1.4; 213) wide, 2-3 (3 ± 0.5; 213) in eggshell thickness, 18-25 (21 ± 1.1; 213) in vitelline mass width, and 36-42 (39 ± 1.1; 213) in vitelline mass length with protruding polar plugs 5-9 (7 ± 0.6; 213) long and 5-8 (6 ± 0.5; 213) wide. Fully developed larvae were 160-201 (176 ± 7.9) long and 7-8 (7 ± 0.5) wide, had transverse cuticular ridges, and were emerging from some eggs within and beneath epidermis. The new species differs from its congeners by having eggs <65 μm in total length and that have a brown eggshell when fully developed, an envelope throughout development, and irregularly-dispersed eggshell spines plus a larva >110 μm long with transverse cuticular ridges. The eggs lack a spindle-shaped envelope, polar filaments, and eggshell ridges. This is the first report of a species of Huffmanela from a snapper (Lutjanidae) or from the Gulf of Mexico. A table of egg and larval characteristics, hosts, and localities for Huffmanela spp. is provided.
Eggs of Huffmanela cf. carcharhini from the skin of an aquarium-held, juvenile sandbar shark, Carcharhinus plumbeus , from the Pacific Ocean were studied using light and scanning electron microscopy. Grossly, eggs imparted a scribble-like skin marking approximately 130 × 60 mm on the right side of the shark's snout adjacent to its eye and nostril. Fresh (unfixed) eggs were elliptical, 75-95 µm long (x¯ = 85 µm, SD = ±4.5; n = 75), 48-63 µm wide (53 ± 3.4; 75), 8-10 µm in shell thickness (9 ± 1.3; 27), 45-68 µm in vitelline mass length (52 ± 6.9; 8); had a smooth shell surface and nonprotruding polar plugs 8-13 µm wide (10 ± 1.5; 73); lacked thin filaments, superficial envelope, and shell spines; sank in 35 ppt artificial seawater; and did not spontaneously hatch after 12 hr in 35 ppt artificial seawater. Formalin-fixed eggs measured 193 days postfixation were 75-95 µm long (84 ± 3.9; 150), 45-60 µm wide (50 ± 2.2; 150), 5-10 µm in shell thickness (8 ± 1.2; 87), 45-60 µm in vitelline mass length (51 ± 3.0; 92), and 30-40 µm in vitelline mass width (33 ± 2.0; 84), and had nonprotruding polar plugs that were 10-15 µm long (11 ± 1.4; 93) and 8-10 µm wide (9 ± 1.1; 108). Forcibly hatched first-stage larvae (unfixed) were filiform, 188-273 µm long (212 ± 25.5; 13), 8-13 µm wide (10 ± 1.2; 13), and had fine transverse striations. Eggs infected the epidermis only. Histology revealed intra-epithelial inflammation with eosinophilic granulocytes and hyperplasia, plus dermal lymphofollicular hyperplasia associated with the infection. The eggs of H. cf. carcharhini likely undergo considerable ex utero development before being sloughed (unhatched) from the host, along with epidermal cells.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.