Living in a harsh habitat: epidemiology of the whale louse, <i>Syncyamus aequus</i> (Cyamidae), infecting striped dolphins in the Western Mediterranean

Fraija-Fernández, Natalia; Fernández, Mercedes; Gozalbes, Patricia; Revuelta, Ohiana; Raga, Juan Antonio; Aznar, Francisco Javier

doi:10.1111/jzo.12482

Cited by 3 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…In most surveys, its prevalence is surprisingly low (< 10%) 27 and higher values have only been reported in Antarctic minke whales: 20% in South Africa 33 , and 22% and 36% in the Southern Ocean [ 36 , this study]. Reasons behind these figures are difficult to decipher, but the role of hosts’ population density should be considered since whale lice are transmitted by contact 74 . In contrast, Coronula spp.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 70%

Epibiotic fauna of the Antarctic minke whale as a reliable indicator of seasonal movements

Ten

Konishi²,

Raga

et al. 2022

Sci Rep

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Antarctic minke whales, Balaenoptera bonaerensis, breed in tropical and temperate waters of the Southern Hemisphere in winter and feed in Antarctic grounds in the austral summer. These seasonal migrations could be less defined than those of other whale species, but the evidence is scanty. We quantitatively describe the epibiotic fauna of Antarctic minke whales and explore its potential to trace migrations. Seven species were found on 125 out of 333 examined Antarctic minke whales captured during the last Antarctic NEWREP-A expedition in the Southern Ocean: the amphipod Balaenocyamus balaenopterae (prevalence = 22.2%), the copepod Pennella balaenoptera (0.6%); three coronulid, obligate barnacles, Xenobalanus globicipitis (11.1%), Coronula reginae (8.7%), C. diadema (0.9%); and two lepadid, facultative barnacles, Conchoderma auritum (9.0%) and C. virgatum (0.3%). Species with prevalence > 8% exhibited a modest increase in their probability of occurrence with whale body length. Data indicated positive associations between coronulid barnacles and no apparent recruitment in Antarctic waters. All specimens of X. globicipitis were dead, showing progressive degradation throughout the sampling period, and a geographic analysis indicated a marked drop of occurrence where the minimum sea surface temperature is < 12 °C. Thus, field detection -with non-lethal methodologies, such as drones- of coronulid barnacles, especially X. globicipitis, on whales in the Southern Ocean could evince seasonal migration. Future investigations on geographical distribution, growth rate, and degradation (for X. globicipitis) could also assist in timing whales’ migration.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 70%

Epibiotic fauna of the Antarctic minke whale as a reliable indicator of seasonal movements

Ten

Konishi²,

Raga

et al. 2022

Sci Rep

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“…Of course, intensity of infection in whale lice is biased in stranded animals, so there is little systematic information from fresh cetaceans available. In general, lower intensities on odontocetes ( Fraija‐Fernández et al, 2017 ) were observed compared to mysticetes, where high loads of whale lice are reported ( Leung, 1965 ; Rice and Wolman, 1971 ; Takeda and Ogino, 2005 ). Low intensities on smooth-surfaced bowhead whales ( Von Duyke et al, 2016 ) and high intensities on right whales ( Eubalaena glacialis ) with lesions ( Kaliszewska et al, 2005 ) were found, reflecting the necessity for these ectoparasites to find suitable sheltered microhabitats on their hosts.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…So far, mostly opportunistic findings were reported, describing cyamid infections on harbour porpoises and a white-beaked dolphin from the North Sea ( Stock, 1973a ; Fransen and Smeenk 1991 ; Lehnert et al, 2007 ), but also from more rarely observed visitors like a Northern bottlenose whale ( Hyperoodon ampullatus ) and a sperm whale ( Physeter macrocephalus ) ( Stock, 1973b ). Few systematic surveys on whale lice have been performed worldwide, e.g., for odontocetes on I. delphinii on pilot whales off the Faroe Islands ( Balbuena andRaga, 1991 ), and Syncyamus aequus on striped dolphins in the Mediterranean ( Fraija-Fernández et al 2017 ) and for baleen whales on Cyamus ceti on bowhead whales ( Baleana mysticetus ) ( Von Duyke et al, 2016 ), on C. boopis on humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) ( Iwasa-Arai et al, 2018 ) and on C. ceti , C. kessleri and C. scammoni on gray whales ( Callahan, 2008 ). Whale lice prevalence in the present study was low compared to other commonly occurring parasite species in harbour porpoises in the North Sea, like gastric and lung nematodes (30–90%), or hepatic trematodes (50%, Lehnert et al, 2005 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Whale lice prevalence in the present study was low compared to other commonly occurring parasite species in harbour porpoises in the North Sea, like gastric and lung nematodes (30–90%), or hepatic trematodes (50%, Lehnert et al, 2005 ). For odontocetes, whale lice prevalence of 27% on striped dolphins in the Mediterranean ( Fraija‐Fernández et al, 2017 ), and 30% on Faroe Island pilot whales ( Balbuena and Raga, 1991 ) have been reported and for baleen whales a prevalence of 20% was for bowhead whales from the Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort Seas ( Von Duyke et al, 2016 ). A striking difference in whale lice prevalence was found between the harbour porpoises stranded in the Netherlands and those stranded on the German coastline, with a lower prevalence observed in Germany (1.6%) compared to the Netherlands (7.6%) in this study.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recently, I. indopacetus was described as a new species parasitizing Longman's beaked whale ( Indopacetus pacificus ) from the South Pacific ( Iwasa-Arai et al, 2017a ), underlining the global distribution of Isocyamus and scarce knowledge about these generalist ectoparasites. Isocyamus delphinii (Cyamidae, Amphipoda) were reported on harbour porpoises, pilot whales, and white-beaked dolphins ( Lagenorhynchus albirostris ) from the North Atlantic ( Balbuena and Raga, 1991 ; Stock 1973a , b ; 1977 ) and have been used as indicators for social structure and behavior of their hosts ( Balbuena and Raga, 1991 ; Balbuena et al, 1995 ) because they can reveal information about species interactions or migration of their host ( Fraija‐Fernández et al, 2017 , Lehnert et al, 2007 ). In porpoises, they were mostly found associated with skin lesions ( Stock, 1973a ; Lehnert et al, 2007 ) but although there are case reports describing the presence of whale lice on cetaceans in the North Sea ( Stock, 1973b , 1977 ; Fransen and Smeenk 1991 ; Lehnert et al, 2007 ), systematic and long-term surveys regarding prevalence and intensity of infections as well as impacts on host health are lacking.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Whale lice (Isocyamus deltobranchium & Isocyamus delphinii; Cyamidae) prevalence in odontocetes off the German and Dutch coasts – morphological and molecular characterization and health implications

Lehnert

IJsseldijk

et al. 2021

International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife

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Whale lice (Cyamidae; Amphipoda) are ectoparasitic crustaceans adapted to the marine environment with cetaceans as their host. There are few reports of cyamids occurring in odontocetes from the North Sea, and long-term studies are lacking. Marine mammal health was monitored along the German and Dutch coasts in the past decades, with extensive post mortem investigations conducted. The aim of this study was to analyse archived ectoparasite samples from stranded cetaceans from the North Sea (2010–2019), to determine species, prevalence and impact of ectoparasite infection. Ectoparasites were found on two cetacean species – harbour porpoises ( Phocoena phocoena ), as the most abundant cetacean species in the North Sea, and on a pilot whale ( Globicephala melas ), as a rare species here. Prevalence of ectoparasitic crustaceans in cetaceans was low: 7.6% in porpoises stranded in the Netherlands (n = 608) and 1.6% in porpoises stranded in Germany (n = 122). All whale lice infections were found on hosts with skin lesions characterised by ulcerations. Morphological investigations revealed characteristic differences between the cyamid species Isocyamus (I.) delphinii and I. deltobranchium identified. Isocyamus deltobranchium was determined in all infected harbour porpoises. I. delphinii was identified on only the pilot whale. Molecular analyses showed 88% similarity of mDNA sequences of I. delphinii with I. deltobranchium supporting them as separate species. Phylogenetic analyses of additional gene loci are required to fully assess the diversity and exchange of whale lice species between geographical regions as well as host specificity. Differing whale lice prevalences in porpoises stranded in the Netherlands and Germany could indicate a difference in severity of skin lesions between these areas. It should be further investigated if more inter- or intraspecific contact, e.g., due to a higher density of porpoises or contact with other cetaceans, or a poorer health status of porpoises in the southern North Sea could explain these differences.

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Epibiotic Fauna on Cetaceans Worldwide: A Systematic Review of Records and Indicator Potential

2022

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Each individual cetacean is an ecosystem itself, potentially harboring a great variety of animals that travel with it. Despite being often despised or overlooked, many of these epizoites have been proven to be suitable bio-indicators of their cetacean hosts, informing on health status, social interactions, migration patterns, population structure or phylogeography. Moreover, epizoites are advantageous over internal parasites in that many of them can be detected by direct observation (e.g., boat surveys), thus no capture or dissection of cetaceans are necessary. Previous reviews of epizoites of cetaceans have focused on specific geographical areas, cetacean species or epibiotic taxa, but fall short to include the increasing number of records and scientific findings about these animals. Here we present an updated review of all records of associations between cetaceans and their epibiotic fauna (i.e., commensals, ecto- or mesoparasites, and mutualists). We gathered nearly 500 publications and found a total of 58 facultative or obligate epibiotic taxa from 11 orders of arthropods, vertebrates, cnidarians, and a nematode that are associated to the external surface of 66 cetacean species around the globe. We also provide information on the use as an indicator species in the literature, if any, and about other relevant traits, such as geographic range, host specificity, genetic data, and life-cycle. We encourage researchers, not only to provide quantitative data (i.e., prevalence, abundance) on the epizoites they find on cetaceans, but also to inform on their absence. The inferences drawn from epizoites can greatly benefit conservation plans of both cetaceans and their epizoites.

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Living in a harsh habitat: epidemiology of the whale louse, Syncyamus aequus (Cyamidae), infecting striped dolphins in the Western Mediterranean

Cited by 3 publications

References 26 publications

Epibiotic fauna of the Antarctic minke whale as a reliable indicator of seasonal movements

Epibiotic fauna of the Antarctic minke whale as a reliable indicator of seasonal movements

Whale lice (Isocyamus deltobranchium & Isocyamus delphinii; Cyamidae) prevalence in odontocetes off the German and Dutch coasts – morphological and molecular characterization and health implications

Epibiotic Fauna on Cetaceans Worldwide: A Systematic Review of Records and Indicator Potential

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