Complete life cycle of a pennellidPeniculus minuticaudaeShiino, 1956 (Copepoda: Siphonostomatoida) infecting cultured threadsail filefish,Stephanolepis cirrhifer

Abstract

-The complete life cycle of a pennellid copepod Peniculus minuticaudae Shiino, 1956 is proposed based on the discovery of all post-embryonic stages together with the post-metamorphic adult females infecting the fins of threadsail filefish Stephanolepis cirrhifer (Monacanthidae) cultured in a fish farm at Ehime Prefecture, Japan. The hatching stage was the infective copepodid. The life cycle of P. minuticaudae consists of six stages separated by moults: the copepodid, four chalimi and adult. In this study, the adult males were observed frequently in precopulatory amplexus with various stages of females however, copulation occurs only between adults. Fertilized pre-metamorphic adult females carrying spermatophores may detach from the host and settle again before undergoing massive differential growth into the post-metamorphic adult female. Comparison of the life cycle of P. minuticaudae has been made with three known pennellids: Lernaeocera branchialis (Linnaeus, 1767), Cardiodectes medusaeus (Wilson, 1908) and Lernaeenicus sprattae (Sowerby, 1806). Among the compared species, P. minuticaudae is the first ectoparasitic pennellid to be discovered to complete its life cycle on a single host without any change in infection site preferences between infective copepodid and fertilized pre-metamorphic female.

Screening of candidate genes encoding proteins expressed in pectoral fins of fugu Takifugu rubripes, in relation to habitat site of parasitic copepod Caligus fugu, using suppression subtractive hybridization

“…On the other hand, fins might limit parasite growth and reproduction because of the difficulty in absorption of nutrients, exposure to cleaners [40], or the possibility of detachment from the host if it digs into or contacts the sediment. In some species of families such as Caligidae and Pennellidae, host/site switching occurs in later stages, in particular adults, to compensate for the negative impact of fin infection [17,41]. A combination of biological and other approaches is beneficial given that the ultimate goal is to prevent infection rather than to manage infections.…”

Parasite richness in fish larvae from the nearshore waters of central and northern Chile

“…All measurements are in micrometres (µm) unless otherwise indicated. Initially, parasitic copepods were determined as belonging to the families Pennellidae and Caligidae according to their morphological characteristics (Kabata 1979, Castro and Baeza 1986, Brooker et al 2007, Madinabeitia and Nagasawa 2011, Ismail et al 2013. Two morphotypes (MT1 and MT7) belonged morphologically to the family Pennellidae, three morphotypes to the family Caligidae (MT2, MT5 and MT6) and two morphotypes (MT3 and MT4) were unidentified to the family level.…”

“…Madinabeitia and Nagasawa 2011, Venmathi-Maran et al 2013) or Pennellidae (e.g. Brooker et al 2007, Ismail et al 2013, the copepods collected in this study were designated as early and late development of chalimus stages. The main distinctions among the morphotypes are mentioned below.…”

A new genus and species of the family Pennellidae (Copepoda, Siphonostomatoida) infecting the Pacific viperfishChauliodus macouni

“…Pennellid copepods are highly modified, meso- or ecto-parasitic copepods infecting marine fish and mammals as definitive hosts [ 8 ]. The life cycle of the family is complex, with some genera needing two hosts, while others require only a single host [ 7 , 8 , 20 , 24 ]. The intermediate hosts of Cardiodectes Wilson, 1917 and Pennella Oken, 1815, with two hosts each, are free-swimming molluscs [ 8 , 16 , 31 , 36 ].…”

“…The intermediate hosts of Cardiodectes Wilson, 1917 and Pennella Oken, 1815, with two hosts each, are free-swimming molluscs [ 8 , 16 , 31 , 36 ]. Some species of the genera Pennella , Peniculus Nordmann, 1832 and Lernaeenicus Le Sueur, 1824 heavily parasitize wild and cultured commercially important fish and squids throughout the world’s oceans, presumably causing economic losses [ 3 , 20 , 28 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 38 , 48 ]. The genera Cardiodectes and Sarcotretes Jungersen, 1911 have been found on mesopelagic and bathypelagic fish [ 5 , 8 , 13 , 17 , 18 , 22 , 46 , 49 ].…”