Morphological updates, host-specificity, molecular data and phylogenetic analysis of Acanthobothrium coronatum (Cestoda: Onchoproteocephalidea), a neglected parasite of the nursehound Scyliorhinus stellaris

Parasites and prey of the nursehound sharkScyliorhinus stellaris(Linnaeus, 1758): Insights into hidden trophic web interactions in the Mediterranean Sea

“…(600 bp), and three specimens of H. appendiculatum (920 bp). The sequences of A. coronatum showed 100% of query cover and identity with the sequences of A. coronatum (MZ243218‐19) previously deposited in GenBank (Santoro, Crocetta, & Palomba, 2021). Sequences of Scyphophyllidium sp.…”

“…Unfortunately, data about the biological cycles of the present parasite taxa are scarce and only the molecular characterization of their larval forms found in their intermediate/paratenic host species can allow to draw their trophic transmission pathways (Bennet et al ., 2019; Jensen & Bullard, 2010; Randhawa & Brickle, 2011). Acanthobothrium coronatum , which dominated the present parasite community, is a specialist parasite of nursehound shark (Santoro, Crocetta, & Palomba, 2021). A three‐ to five‐host life cycle has been proposed within Onchoproteocephalidea, with copepods and molluscs acting as first and second intermediate hosts and fish as intermediate/paratenic hosts (Caira & Reyda, 2005; Jensen & Bullard, 2010).…”

“…A three‐ to five‐host life cycle has been proposed within Onchoproteocephalidea, with copepods and molluscs acting as first and second intermediate hosts and fish as intermediate/paratenic hosts (Caira & Reyda, 2005; Jensen & Bullard, 2010). The fact that the 28S rDNA sequences obtained from A. coronatum specimens collected in the nursehound shark showed high levels of similarity with larvae found in the digestive tract of the common octopus ( Octopus vulgaris ) from the Gulf of Naples (Tedesco, Caffara, et al ., 2020), allowed to reveal that the trophic transmission pathway of A. coronatus in the nursehound shark may occur by feeding on octopus (Santoro, Crocetta, & Palomba, 2021). This was also suggested by the remains of octopus in the stomachs of the present individuals, and by PCAmix analysis which found that the nursehound sharks feeding on octopus showed higher probability of being infected with A. coronatum .…”

“…Sharks were examined fresh ( n = 12) or frozen ( n = 16) until dissections were performed. They constituted the bycatch of scientific and commercial trawling operations (red shrimp and pink shrimp fishery activities) using a commercial fishing vessel equipped with bottom trawl nets (mouth 3 × 4 m in height and width, respectively; 18–40 mm mesh size), towed at ~2–2.5 kn on muddy bottoms ( e.g ., Palomba et al ., 2021; Santoro, Bellisario, et al ., 2021; Santoro, Crocetta, & Palomba et al ., 2021; Santoro et al ., 2022). Samplings were approved by the ethics institutional review board of the Italian Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies and performed in accordance with permit 0008453 (issued 15 May 2020) by the Italian Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies, the guide for the care and use of animals by the Italian Ministry of Health, and the ARRIVE guidelines.…”

“…The most recent data on the biology of the nursehound shark in the Gulf of Naples are outdated (Lo Bianco, 1909; Maschlanka, 1955), as are the most recent data on its feeding ecology in the Mediterranean Sea (Capapé, 1975). In a previous paper, Santoro, Crocetta and Palomba (2021) re‐described Acanthobothrium coronatum (Rudolphi, 1819) Blanchard, 1848, a cestode parasite of the nursehound shark, highlighting the paucity of data on the parasite fauna of this catshark species (see also the Host–Parasite List of Elasmobranchs at https://shark‐references.com). With this insufficient knowledge about a vulnerable species, trophic interactions and all organisms connected to the food web it uses, including parasites and their hosts, are challenging to be elucidated, especially in a geographical area characterized by increasing anthropogenic pressures (such as urban and industrial sewage, river discharges, and overfishing) as the Gulf of Naples (Crocetta et al ., 2020; Rizzo et al ., 2021).…”