Genetic Evidence Confirms Polygamous Mating System in a Crustacean Parasite with Multiple Hosts

Abstract

Mating systems are diverse in animals, notably in crustaceans, but can be inferred from a limited set of parameters. Baeza and Thiel (2007) proposed a model predicting mating systems of symbiotic crustaceans with three host characteristics and the risk of predation. These authors proposed five mating systems, ranging from monogamy to polygynandry (where multiple mating occurs for both genders). Using microsatellite loci, we tested the putatively mating system of the ectoparasite crab Dissodactylus primitivus. We determined the mating frequencies of males and females, parentage assignment (COLONY & GERUD software) as well as the contents of female spermathecae. Our results are globally consistent with the model of Baeza and Thiel and showed, together with previous aquarium experiments, that this ectoparasite evolved a polygamous mating system where males and females move between hosts for mate search. Parentage analyses revealed that polyandry is frequent and concerns more than 60% of clutches, with clutches being fertilized by up to 6 different fathers. Polygyny is supported by the detection of eight males having sired two different broods. We also detected a significant paternity skew in 92% of the multipaternal broods. Moreover, this skew is probably higher than the estimation from the brood because additional alleles were detected in most of spermathecae. This high skew could be explained by several factors as sperm competition or cryptic female choice. Our genetic data, combined with previous anatomic analyses, provide consistent arguments to suggest sperm precedence in D. primitivus.

Host-use pattern of the shrimp Periclimenes paivai on the scyphozoan jellyfish Lychnorhiza lucerna: probing for territoriality and inferring its mating system

“…Even other symbiotic crustaceans form complex societies i.e., the sponge-dwelling eusocial shrimp Synalpheus regalis Duffy, 1996 [19]. The variety of host-use patterns exhibited by symbiotic crustaceans coupled with disparity in host ecology [20] makes these species excellent models to study the effects of environmental conditions on the social behavior of marine organisms [21][22][23][24][25][26].…”

Characterization of eight microsatellite loci for the sea urchin Meoma ventricosa (Spatangoida, Brissidae) through Next Generation Sequencing

“…The characterization of microsatellites of Meoma ventricosa permits the comparison of genetic structure of this species with that of its parasite, the crab Dissodactylus primitivus that may have different capacity of dispersal than its host (Yednock and Neigel, 2011;Jossart et al, 2014). Microsatellite markers have already been characterized and validated for this crab (Anderson et al, 2010;Jossart et al, 2013).…”

Highly contrasted population genetic structures in a host–parasite pair in the Caribbean Sea

“…First, high fecundity has a positive influence on dispersal by increasing the number of potential migrants (Johnston, Miller, & Baums, 2012; Palumbi, 1994). Dissodactylus primitivus produces around 300 eggs per clutch (Jossart et al., 2014), whereas sea urchins with pluteus larvae produce millions of eggs per spawn (Emlet et al., 1987). Second, the larvae of the two species have different swimming capacities.…”

“…We extracted DNA from one pereiopod of each crab using the Chelex resin method (see the detailed protocol in Jossart et al., 2014) and from two spines of each sea urchin using the Qiagen DNeasy Blood & Tissue Kit.…”