Population genetic structure, parasite infection and somatic condition of pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus (Actinopterygii: Centrarchidae) in the Oder river basin

Abstract

In Poland, distribution of non‐native pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus (Centrarchidae) is strictly limited to the Oder river basin, where it was introduced in the early 20th century. Recently, several populations have been found in waterbodies adjacent to the Oder, particularly in its lower reaches. In this study, we compare the genetic relatedness of populations in the Oder basin with other European populations using nuclear (microsatellite) and mitochondrial (partial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I; cox1) markers. Microsatellite analysis indicated that four populations in the lower Oder form a separate cluster, while one in the middle Oder clustered with Danubian populations, from where probably having been introduced. Microsatellite data suggested that the lower Oder populations differ from other non‐native European populations, making it impossible to estimate the source of introduction. Nevertheless, analysis of cox1 indicated that Oder pumpkinseeds belong to the same haplotype as the vast majority of European populations. Parasitological examination confirmed the presence of two North American species, the monogenean Onchocleidus dispar and trematode Posthodiplostomum centrarchi, in the lower Oder, both previously unknown in the region. Fifteen other parasite species were acquired, including glochidia of invasive Sinanodonta woodiana. In the middle Oder, parasite infection was more limited. Fish from the Gryfino Canal, considered one of the most invasive populations in Europe, showed the highest parasite abundance and diversity, and the highest somatic condition and growth rate due to warm water released from the Dolna Odra power plant. Our results highlight significant differences in somatic condition and parasite infection in long‐established non‐native pumpkinseed populations in the same river system, reflecting mainly environmental conditions.

Comparative Analysis of Parasite Load on Recently Established Invasive Pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus (Actinopterygii: Centrarchidae) in Europe

“…8 lineage, which appears to be specific to largemouth bass [ 35 , 65 ]. Over the last decade, metacercariae of P. centrarchi have been recorded in several European countries, including Bulgaria, Czechia, France, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Portugal and Slovakia [ 37 , 38 , 42 , 43 , 46 , 66 ], with most belonging to the Posthodiplostomum sp. 3 lineage collected from pumpkinseed.…”

“…In addition, several studies have now documented, or summarised, original data on parasite communities for populations from Western, Central and Eastern Europe. For example, pumpkinseed parasites are now well documented from Bulgaria [ 39 ], England [ 40 ], France [ 33 , 36 , 41 , 42 ], Germany [ 43 ], Moldova [ 44 , 45 ], Poland [ 30 , 46 ], Slovakia and Serbia [ 31 , 47 ]. However, despite the recent rapid expansion of pumpkinseed in both Czechia and Ukraine, data on their parasites are only known from a relatively small area of their host distribution.…”

Low Genetic and Parasite Diversity of Invasive Pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus (Centrarchidae) Expanding in Türkiye

“…Such analyses also aid in elucidating the origin and invasion history of these species [34]. European populations of pumpkinseed have been extensively investigated using both mitochondrial [21,[35][36][37] and nuclear [38] gene markers, revealing generally low genetic variability. In contrast to other European populations, where all pumpkinseed populations are associated with a single haplotype of cytochrome c oxidase I (cox1) mitochondrial DNA [35,36], higher cox1 diversity has been observed in Türkiye [21,39].…”

“…European populations of pumpkinseed have been extensively investigated using both mitochondrial [21,[35][36][37] and nuclear [38] gene markers, revealing generally low genetic variability. In contrast to other European populations, where all pumpkinseed populations are associated with a single haplotype of cytochrome c oxidase I (cox1) mitochondrial DNA [35,36], higher cox1 diversity has been observed in Türkiye [21,39]. The three cox1 haplotypes identified in Türkiye differ from, yet are derived from, the common haplotype found in other European and North American pumpkinseed populations, suggesting the species' evolutionary adaptability under the influence of different selection pressures, such as environmental factors [21].…”

“…Release from pressure by natural parasites advantaging non-native species over natives is among the most commonly proposed hypotheses regarding the role of parasites in biological invasions [42]. There has been an increased interest in the investigation of pumpkinseed parasites in various non-native European populations in Europe during the recent decades, revealing considerable variation in parasite abundance and diversity across different geographical regions, time since introduction, and host genetic diversity [36,38,43,44]. Studies on parasite communities have identified a range of North American parasite species cointroduced to Europe with pumpkinseed, including myxozoans [45], centrarchid-specific monogeneans [38,[46][47][48], cestodes [49], and trematodes [50,51].…”