Trematode Parthenitae Infection Rate and Distribution of Kola Bay Actic Molluscs of the Genus Littorina
Abstract
The study was carried out in 2018 in the littoral zone of Kola Bay during the autumn period in the areas of Abram Mys Settlement, Mishukovo Settlement and Retinskaya Bay. Molluscs of the genus Littorina were collected from various substrates: stones, algae, metal construction and soil. In addition, samples were taken not from a particular substrate, but along the borders of the littoral zone to study species composition of molluscs and common level of infection rate in study areas. Our data showed that L. saxatilis infested by mature trematode parthenitae prefer being on the surface of algae, metal structure, stones at low tide instead of hiding under the stones, in the thickness of algae and in other possible shelters. The study of age distribution among infested Littorina molluscs living on different substrates showed that the ratio of age groups is different and varies from 1+ to 13+. Distribution data are established and considered for infested molluscs by trematode parthenitae of the group ”pygmaeus”: Microphallus pygmaeus, M. piriformes, which are characterized by the absence of free-living cercariae. Trematode parthenitae of other species which have a stage of free-living cercaria in their life cycle are absent in molluscs during the autumn period.
References
[1] Fredensborg, B. L., Poulin, R. (2005). Larval helminths in intermediate hosts: Does competition early in life determine the fitness of adult parasites? International Journal for Parasitology, vol. 35 (10), pp. 1061-1070.
[2] Blakeslee, A. M., Keogh, C. L., Fowler, A. E., et al (2015). Assessing the Effects of Trematode Infection on Invasive Green Crabs in Eastern North America. Plos One, vol. 10 (6), pp. 1–20.
[3] Matthews, P. M., Montgomery, W. I., Hanna, R. E. B. (1985). Infestation of littorinids by larval digenea around a small fishing port. Parasitology, vol. 90, pp. 277–287.
[4] Galaktionov, K. V., Nikolaev, K. E., Aristov, D. A., et al. (2018). Parasites on the edge: patterns of trematode transmission in the Arctic intertidal at the Pechora Sea (South-Eastern Barents Sea). Polar Biology, vol. 42 (9), pp. 1719–1737.
[5] Galaktionov, K. V., Bustnes, J. O. (1995). Species composition and prevalence of seabird trematode larvae in periwinkles at two littoral zone sites in North-Norway. Sarsia, vol. 80, pp. 187–191.
[6] Buchmann, K. (2019). Metazoan endoparasites as biological indicators of Baltic cod biology. In Baltic Sea in the 21st century - contemporary hazards and challenges. London: InTechOpen.
[7] Grabovoi, V., Granovitch, A., Mikhailova, N. (2011). Zonal patterns of five Littorina species distribution in habitats with different salinity (the Barents Sea, Russia), in Proceedings of 10 Int.Symp. on Littorinid Biol. and Evol. St.Petersburg: Polytechnical University Publishing House.
[8] Heller, J. (2015). Sea Snails - A Natural History. Switzerland: Springer International Publishing.
[9] Reid, D. G. (1996). Systematics and evolution of Littorina. L.: The Ray Society.
[10] Ayala-Diaz, M. (2014). Trematode infection effects on survival and behaviour of Littorina sitkana. Master’s thesis, University of Victoria.
[11] Seaman, B., Briffa, M. (2015). Parasites and personality in periwinkles (Littorina littorea): Infection status is associated with mean-level boldness but not repeatability. Behavioural processes, vol. 115, pp. 132–134.
[12] Galaktionov, K. V. (1992). Seasonal dynamics of the age composition of hemipopulations of daughter sporocysts of pygmaeus microphallids (trematoda: microphallidae) in intertidal molluscs Littorina saxatilis from the Barents sea. Parasitology, vol. 26 (6), pp. 462–469.
[13] Granovitch, A. I., Maximovich, A. N. (2013). Long-term population dynamics of Littorina obtusata – the spatial structure and impact of trematodes. Hydrobiologia, vol. 706 (1), pp. 91–101.
[14] Granovitch, A. I., Sergievsky, S. O., Sokolova, I. M. (2000). Spatial and temporal variation of trematode infection in co-existing populations of intertidal gastropods Littorina saxatilis and L. obtusata in the White Sea. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms, vol. 41, pp. 53–64.
[15] Galaktionov, K. V., Dobrovolskij, A. A. (2003). The Biology and Evolution of Trematodes. An Essay on the Biology, Morphology, Life Cycles, Transmission, and Evolution of Digenetic Trematodes. Boston, Dordrecht, London: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
[16] Galaktionov, K.V., Bustnes, J.O. (1999). Distribution patterns of marine bird digenean larvae in periwinkles along the southern Barents Sea coast. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms, vol. 37, pp. 221–230.
[17] Mikhailova, N.A., Granovich, A.I., Sergievsky, S.O. (1988). Effect of trematodes on the microbiotopical distribution of molluscs Littorina obtusata and L. saxatilis. Parasitology, vol. 22 (5), pp. 398–407.