Sexual Sterilization of the Daggerblade Grass ShrimpPalaemonetes pugio(Decapoda: Palaemonidae) by the Bopyrid IsopodProbopyrus pandalicola(Isopoda: Bopyridae)

Abstract

Probopyrus pandalicola is a bopyrid isopod that infects several palaemonid shrimp species, including the daggerblade grass shrimp Palaemonetes pugio . The parasite can have several negative effects on its host, including loss of hemolymph, reduced reproductive potential, and decreased molting frequency and growth. To date, there are conflicting reports on whether Probopyrus pandalicola affects the reproductive capability of both male and female daggerblade grass shrimp. The purpose of this study was to determine whether infection by Probopyrus pandalicola resulted in the sexual sterilization of Palaemonetes pugio , and if the reproductive capability of male and/or female shrimp was restored after the bopyrid was removed. We found that parasitized and deparasitized males were able to fertilize the eggs of unparasitized females successfully, as 18.9 ± 7.1% and 42.7 ± 5.2% of the females paired with them became ovigerous in 4 wk, respectively. Neither parasitized nor deparasitized females became ovigerous when placed with unparasitized males during the 4-wk period. However, 45.4 ± 20.6% of deparasitized females did become ovigerous within 10 wk. Despite the fact that female shrimp are able to reproduce again when no longer parasitized, the majority of females remain infected with the bopyrid for their entire lives. Therefore, the sexual sterilization of female shrimp could potentially have a significant impact on estuarine food webs, as grass shrimp are conduits of detrital energy and a food source for many recreationally and commercially important species in estuaries on the East Coast of the United States and in the Gulf of Mexico.

First record of parasitism by Probopyrus pandalicola (Isopoda, Bopyridae) on the freshwater prawn Macrobrachium acanthurus (Decapoda, Palaemonidae) and ecological interactions

“…The subsequent loss of nutrients caused by it can disturb and inhibit the synthesis of hormonal compounds that are thought to stimulate maturation processes (Fingerman 1997;Subramoniam 2011;Swetha et al 2011). Finally, it is likely that the parasitized individual becomes sexually sterile (Sherman and Curran 2015). Although some decapod crustaceans have evolved to be adapted to nutrient loss and even starvation for considerable periods of time (Vinagre and Chung 2016), this can in fact also cause modification of growth patterns, altered survival and body composition in some other species that are not (Wu et al 2004).…”

“…Although some decapod crustaceans have evolved to be adapted to nutrient loss and even starvation for considerable periods of time (Vinagre and Chung 2016), this can in fact also cause modification of growth patterns, altered survival and body composition in some other species that are not (Wu et al 2004). Veritably, parasitic infections are known to produce a significant negative effect in reproductive aspects of many marine species (Hua et al 2017), including in infestations by isopods on crustaceans (Beck 1980a;Abu-Hakima 1984;Sherman and Curran 2015). Likewise, the work conducted by Dumbauld et al (2011) suggested that the infection by a bopyrid isopod in the mud shrimp Upogebia pugettensis limited their maximum size and weight, besides causing a considerable decrease in population size.…”

“…The species Probopyrus pandalicola (Packard, 1879) is a highly distributed parasitic isopod that is known to infect several species within the family Palaemonidae (Beck 1980b;Conner and Bauer 2010;Sherman and Curran 2015). Although some research demonstrated that the infection by this isopod does no visible harm in the respective hosts (Morris 1948;Calado et al 2006), other studies showed that it is capable of inducing harmful effects in the vitality of juvenile hosts (Anderson 1990), sexual sterilization (Sherman and Curran 2015), impairment of growth and reproductive traits (Van Wyk 1982) and induce feeding behaviour disturbances (Bass and Weis 1999). This highlights even more the necessity of assessing the specific response of each species to this parasite, given the highly diverse nature and the conjoint of factors that are able to influence the interactions between hosts and parasites (Williams and Boiko 2012).…”

Infestation of two shrimp species of the genus Palaemon Fabricius, 1798 (Decapoda, Palaemonidae) by an isopod of the genus Probopyrus Giard & Bonnier, 1888 (Bopyridae) from the Brazilian southeast coast

“…Bopyrid isopods are obligate hematophagous ectoand holoparasites of crustaceans (Chaplin-Ebanks and Curran, 2007;Boyko and Williams, 2009;Williams and Boyko, 2012). They have complex life cycles that require a decapod as a definitive host, and a calanoid copepod as an intermediate host (Anderson, 1990;Lester, 2005;Oliveira and Masunari, 2006;Boyko and Williams, 2009;Sherman and Curran, 2015). An adult female bopyrid is typically found attached to the gills inside the branchial chamber, while the dwarf adult male is often found attached to the ventral side of the female bopyrid (Beck, 1980;Choong et al, 2011;Sherman and Curran, 2015).…”

“…They have complex life cycles that require a decapod as a definitive host, and a calanoid copepod as an intermediate host (Anderson, 1990;Lester, 2005;Oliveira and Masunari, 2006;Boyko and Williams, 2009;Sherman and Curran, 2015). An adult female bopyrid is typically found attached to the gills inside the branchial chamber, while the dwarf adult male is often found attached to the ventral side of the female bopyrid (Beck, 1980;Choong et al, 2011;Sherman and Curran, 2015). Parasites induce visible lateral swellings on the carapace of the host and this deformation on the branchiostegite region characterizes the host-parasite relationship (Choong et al, 2011).…”