Parasitic isopods(family Bopyridae)and burrowing barnacles(family Trypetesidae)infesting hermit crabs were investigated from shallow subtidal collections made along the southeastern coast of Spain in 2009.A total of 7...Parasitic isopods(family Bopyridae)and burrowing barnacles(family Trypetesidae)infesting hermit crabs were investigated from shallow subtidal collections made along the southeastern coast of Spain in 2009.A total of 713 specimens of Clibanarius erythropus(Latreille,1818)and 82 Calcinus tubularis(L.,1767)were examined.Gastropod shells and worm tubes inhabited by hermit crabs were collected by hand while snorkeling and were cracked to determine host species,size,sex and presence of eggs.Two species of bopyrid isopods were found on C.erythropus:the branchial parasite Bopyrissa fraiseii(Carayon,1943)and the abdominal parasite Parathelges cardonae Codreanu and Codreanu in Codreanu,1968.Among all C.erythropus examined,Bopyrissa fraiseii was found on 0.6%of hermit crabs and P.cardonae was found on 0.3%.A redescription of P.cardonae is provided and the species is documented with light and scanning electron microscopy for the first time.No Calcinus tubularis harbored parasitic isopods,but one specimen was parasitized by an unidentified rhizocephalan barnacle of the genus Septosaccus(1.2%).The burrowing barnacle Trypetesa lampas(Hancock,1849)was found associated with both hermit crab species and evidence of predation on host eggs by this barnacle is shown for the first time.Trypetesa lampas was found in 4.2%of the shells collected.The present study expands our knowledge of the parasite fauna of hermit crabs from the Mediterranean Sea and indicates that additional research is needed to determine the impact of trypetesid egg predators on hermit crab populations.展开更多
基金We thank Drs Angel Perez Ruzafa and Juan Guillen Nieto(University of Murcia)for aiding our research in Spain.Pablo Del Amor Saavedra and Margaret Carson kindly opened their home to us in Spain,allowing for this research to be completed.Dr John J.McDermott(Franklin and Marshall College)provided helpful comments on a previous draft and Dr Christopher Boyko(Dowling College)provided taxonomic help with the parasitic isopods.The comments from two anonymous reviewers were helpful in the improvement of this work.The support of Hofstra University to the authors is greatly appreciated.
文摘Parasitic isopods(family Bopyridae)and burrowing barnacles(family Trypetesidae)infesting hermit crabs were investigated from shallow subtidal collections made along the southeastern coast of Spain in 2009.A total of 713 specimens of Clibanarius erythropus(Latreille,1818)and 82 Calcinus tubularis(L.,1767)were examined.Gastropod shells and worm tubes inhabited by hermit crabs were collected by hand while snorkeling and were cracked to determine host species,size,sex and presence of eggs.Two species of bopyrid isopods were found on C.erythropus:the branchial parasite Bopyrissa fraiseii(Carayon,1943)and the abdominal parasite Parathelges cardonae Codreanu and Codreanu in Codreanu,1968.Among all C.erythropus examined,Bopyrissa fraiseii was found on 0.6%of hermit crabs and P.cardonae was found on 0.3%.A redescription of P.cardonae is provided and the species is documented with light and scanning electron microscopy for the first time.No Calcinus tubularis harbored parasitic isopods,but one specimen was parasitized by an unidentified rhizocephalan barnacle of the genus Septosaccus(1.2%).The burrowing barnacle Trypetesa lampas(Hancock,1849)was found associated with both hermit crab species and evidence of predation on host eggs by this barnacle is shown for the first time.Trypetesa lampas was found in 4.2%of the shells collected.The present study expands our knowledge of the parasite fauna of hermit crabs from the Mediterranean Sea and indicates that additional research is needed to determine the impact of trypetesid egg predators on hermit crab populations.
