Experimental infections of Orchitophrya stellarum (Scuticociliata) in American blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus) and fiddler crabs (Uca minax)

Overwintering of the parasitic dinoflagellate Hematodinium perezi in dredged blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus) from Wachapreague Creek, Virginia

“…The cold-adapted species of Hematodinium, that infects snow crabs and other boreal hosts, is found at temperatures from -1° to 8° C (Meyers et al, 1987;Field et al, 1992;, and has been cultured at 0° (Gaudet et al, 2015) and 8° to 10° C (Appleton & Vickerman, 1998). Outbreaks of a scuticociliate, Orchitophrya stellarum have occurred in blue crabs in holding systems during winter months and the pathogen can grow in culture at 4° C Miller et al, 2013), but the related species, Mesanophrys chesapeakensis, has not been associated with colder temperatures (Messick & Small, 1996). Another scuticociliate, Anophryoides haemophila, infects and kills lobsters during winter months (Aiken & Waddy, 1986;Cawthorn, 1997).…”

Isolation, characterization and virulence of Mesanophrys sp. (Ciliophora: Orchitophryidae) in farmed swimming crab (Portunus trituberculatus) in eastern China

“…In 2007, O. stellarum‐ infected C. sapidus was obtained during dredging activities (Small et al., 2013). The authors speculated that the above ciliates originated from the sediment were transported to the laboratory, and they entered into the crabs through limb loss by agonistic interactions of dredging activities, or small wounds via haemolymph sampling (Miller et al., 2013). Based on the previous reports, no more crustacean was infected with O. stellarum .…”

“…A large number of ciliates were obtained by expanding ciliate culture in 200‐ml conical flasks with 100 ml culture medium. Experimental infection of P. trituberculatus was done according to a previous study (Miller, Small, Peemoeller, Gibbs, & Shields, 2013). Sixty healthy crabs (normal size, and feeding and movement; no parasites and obvious surface wounds were observed) were divided into two groups ( n = 30), including infected and control groups.…”

Host–Symbiont Relationships: Understanding the Change from Guest to Pest

“…2.3, 2.4, 2.5, and 2.6), usually killing the host. It has been assumed to enter into wounds of its hosts and now shown by Miller et al (2013) to cause rapidly developing fatal infections in the blue crab inoculated with the ciliate or exposed to ciliates after experimental autonomy. When exposed to ciliates and not wounded, the crab seldom died.…”