Panulirus argus virus 1 detected in oceanic postlarvae of Caribbean spiny lobster: implications for disease dispersal

Abstract

Panulirus argus virus 1 (PaV1), a pathogenic virus that specifically attacks Caribbean spiny lobsters Panulirus argus, was recently detected in newly settled postlarvae of P. argus. As PaV1 appears not to be vertically transmitted, infected postlarvae likely acquire PaV1 from the water, but whether this can occur in oceanic waters where the planktonic larvae (phyllosomata) metamorphose into nektonic postlarvae remains unknown. Late-stage phyllosomata and postlarvae of P. argus were collected at distances of 2 to 100 km from the Caribbean coast of Mexico in 2 oceanographic cruises. Most postlarvae were caught in the upper meter of water, usually along with masses of floating Sargassum algae. A PaV1-PCR assay was used to test 169 phyllosomata (stages VI−X) and 239 postlarvae. All phyllosomata tested negative, but 2 postlarvae, 1 from each cruise, tested positive for PaV1. These postlarvae were collected at 55 and 48 km offshore over depths of 850 and 1800 m, respectively, suggesting that postlarvae can acquire PaV1 in offshore waters. We hypothesize that floating Sargassum may be an environmental reservoir for PaV1. The PaV1 allele (460 pb) found in an infected postlarva was more closely related to PaV1 alleles found in lobsters from Puerto Rico than in lobsters from any other location (including Mexico), suggesting high gene flow and long-distance dispersal of PaV1, consistent with previous studies of high genetic connectivity across the Caribbean.

Metamorphosis of spiny lobsters (Panulirus argus and Panulirus guttatus) in the Yucatan Current as inferred from the distribution of pueruli and final stage phyllosomata

“…Two nets were simultaneously used in each sampling station: a large mid-water Tucker trawl (effective mouth area: 9 m 2 ; length: 12 m; mesh size: 10 mm) and a smaller neuston net (mouth area: 1.5 m 2 ; length: 3 m; mesh size: 3 mm) (Lozano-Alvarez et al 2015). The Tucker trawl was towed from stern at depths of 5-15 m and was fitted with a Sea-Bird SBE39 data logger to record time, depth, and temperature during the tow.…”

Do ecological characteristics drive the prevalence of Panulirus argus virus 1 (PaV1) in juvenile Caribbean spiny lobsters in a tropical reef lagoon?

“…Therefore, it is possible that in this location the pathogen has leveled off to an enzootic level [67,68]. However, as postlarvae of P. argus enter the reef lagoon throughout the year with great temporal variability [38] and some may become infected with PaV1 before settling [69,70], a certain amount of variation in the level of prevalence is to be expected.…”

Diversity and Distribution of Mid- to Late-Stage Phyllosomata of Spiny and Slipper Lobsters (Decapoda: Achelata) in the Mexican Caribbean

“…Plankton samples were obtained during a research project addressing the location of metamorphosis zones of P. argus and P. guttatus and the nutritional condition of P. argus during the phyllosoma-puerulus-juvenile transition [48][49][50][51]. Sampling was conducted in numerous stations located along several transects perpendicular to the shelf break over oceanic waters during two oceanographic cruises in UNAM's R/V Justo Sierra, "Metamorfosis 1", conducted in autumn 2012 (13-24 November; 55 stations) and "Metamorfosis 2", conducted in spring 2013 (4-14 April; 38 stations).…”

“…Samples were obtained with two different nets used simultaneously: a larger midwater Tucker trawl (effective mouth area: 9 m 2 ; length: 12 m; mesh size: 10 mm) primarily designed to collect late-stage phyllosomata, and a smaller neuston net (mouth area: 1.5 m 2 ; length: 3 m; mesh size: 3 mm) primarily designed to collect swimming postlarvae of spiny lobsters [48,49]. The Tucker trawl was towed from stern at depths of 5-15 m and was fitted with a Sea-Bird SBE39 data logger to record time, depth, and temperature during the tow.…”