Metabarcoding, direct stomach observation and stable isotope analysis reveal a highly diverse diet for the invasive green crab in Atlantic Patagonia

Abstract

DEG, GB, ML, and GC conceived and designed this study. DEG, GB, and GC took the samples. GC conducted the visual analysis and prepare the samples for stable isotope analysis. GC and DEG analyzed direct stomach observation and stable isotope data. ML contributed to preparing the metabarcoding samples and analyzed metabarcoding data. EV visited as an invited researcher the Centre for Biodiversity Genomics to obtain the metabarcoding data. EV, BT, DAL, and DS contributed to the generation of metabarcoding data, molecular and bioinformatic analyses.

Symbionts of invasive and native crabs, in Argentina: The most recently invaded area on the Southwestern Atlantic coastline

“…The exploration of invasive crustacean systems is vital to better understand their influence on local disease ecology . We suggest that the Patagonian coast (Southwestern Atlantic Ocean), has been invaded by C. maenas (Hidalgo et al, 2005;Vinuesa, 2007;Darling et al, 2008) as well as C. aestuarii, suggesting a cryptic introduction, and agreeing with the recent suggestion made by Cordone et al, (2020).…”

“…The missing metazoans include a range of helminths and parasitic crustaceans. Specifically, the nemertean parasite Carcinonemertes sp., was detected by metabarcoding by Cordone et al, (2020) in Argentinean populations but was missing from our specimens. On the Patagonian coast, infections by P. chasmagnathi have been recorded in C. altimanus (Lorenti et al, 2018) and C.…”

“…Most recently, this sister species of C. maenas was detected in Argentina (Cordone et al, 2020). Cordone et al, (2020) consider the population to be composed of C. maenas and C. aestuarii hybrids based on metabarcoding data, and many questions remain regarding the 'species' introduction pathway and the potential for the two species of Carcinus to hybridise.…”

“…Most recently, this sister species of C. maenas was detected in Argentina (Cordone et al, 2020). Cordone et al, (2020) consider the population to be composed of C. maenas and C. aestuarii hybrids based on metabarcoding data, and many questions remain regarding the 'species' introduction pathway and the potential for the two species of Carcinus to hybridise. Our metagenomic data, which was acquired to better understand the novel Agmasoma-like microsporidian parasite that is playing a role in this invasion, confirms that at least one individual within our dataset held a mitochondrial genome that assigned to C. aestuarii.…”

“…In Patagonia, it has been reported to cohabit with the native crabs, Cyrtograpsus altimanus and Cyrtograpsus angulatus (Vinuesa, 2007). A recent study carried out by Cordone et al, (2020) No dedicated parasitic screening study of Carcinus spp. in the Southwestern Atlantic has been carried out, but native crabs in this region have some parasitology studies available.…”