Diseases of crayfish: A review

Red swamp crayfish: biology, ecology and invasion - an overview

“…Some digeneans also may use P. clarkii as intermediate host, for example: some species of Microphallus (Microphallidae), whose adults parasitize bird and fish species, being larvae cercariae maybe found in the hepatopancreas of P.clarkii (Overstreet et al, 1992); Maritrema obstipum (Van Cleave and Mueller, 1932) (Microphallidae), whose definitive host are birds and mammals and intermediate host maybe freshwater crustaceans and snails, being larvae cercariae found in the gills and hepatopancreas of P. clarkii (Etges, 1953;Longshaw, 2011); Sogandaritrema progeneticum (Sogandares-Bernal, 1962) (Microphallidae) that parasitizes some crayfishes, including P. clarkii (Sogandares-Bernal, 1965;Lotz and Corkum, 1983); Gorgodera amplicava (Looss, 1899) (Gorgoderidae), whose definitive host are some anuran species, may use freshwater bivalves from de family Sphaeriidae and crustaceans as intermediate host. The immature form of G. amplicava can be found in the stomach of P. clarkii (Longshaw, 2011 (Longshaw, 2011).…”

“…The immature form of G. amplicava can be found in the stomach of P. clarkii (Longshaw, 2011 (Longshaw, 2011).…”

“…One example is Thelohania contejeani (Henneg, 1892), that has caused mass mortalities of crayfish in Europe (Alderman and Polglase, 1988;Dunn et al, 2009;Edgerton et al, 2002). Another known disease is psorospermiasis, caused by Psorospermium (Mesomycetozoea) that colonizes gills, hepatopancreas, antennal gland, connective and neural tissues, ovary membranes and cardiac and skeletal muscle (Hennton et al 1994;Ragan et al, 1996;Longshaw, 2011).…”

“…Most of them are temnocephalans (Platyhelminthes, Temnocephalida) that usually are not pathogenic to crayfish, however, they may impair proper gill functioning if present in such high numbers as to impede water flow in the gill cavity (Edgerton et al, 2002). No temnocephalans were reported on P. clarkii but considering their wide range of occurrence among crayfishes (Edgerton et al, 2002;Longshaw, 2011), it is believed that the Red Swamp Crayfish might also be infested by them. Branchiobdellidans (Annelida, Clitellata) may also be observed on crayfishes, including P. clarkii, but infestations usually take place only when individuals are already ill; infested healthy animals are rarely found .…”

“…Furthermore, P. clarkii is one of the vectors of the crayfish plague, which is mostly asymptomatic in North American crayfish species such as P. clarkii, Orconectes limosus (Rafinesque, 1817) and Pacifastacus leniusculus (Dana, 1852), but lethal to crayfish from other regions (Souty-Grosset et al, 2006;Aquiloni et al, 2010;Longshaw, 2011). This disease, caused by Aphanomyces astaci, constitutes a remarkable threat to indigenous crayfish species, thus being one of the leading causes of native crayfish population decline in Europe (Gutiérrez-Yurrita et al, 1999;Souty-Grosset et al, 2006;Holdich et al, 2009).…”