Red and transparent brine shrimps (Artemia parthenogenetica): a comparative study of their cestode infections

Diversity of Parasitic Animals in Hypersaline Waters: A Review

Hypersaline waters are unique polyextreme habitats, where the salinity limits species richness. There are main patterns of a relationship between salinity and the species richness of free-living aquatic animals, but for parasitic organisms, general regularities have not yet been established. There are quite numerous data on parasites in hypersaline waters worldwide; however, they have not been summarized before. This review tries to fill this gap by summarizing the available data. All parasites, 85 species and forms, found in hypersaline waters belong to five phyla: Platyhelminthes, Nematoda, Acanthocephala, Cnidaria, and Arthropoda. Platyhelminthes are the most diverse phylum with the highest species richness in class Cestoda. Most species were noted in hypersaline waters with a salinity of no more than 100 g·L−1. The total number of parasitic species decreases exponentially with an increase in salinity. The number of free-living animal species inhabiting waters with a salinity from 35 to 210 g·L−1 is approximately 12 times higher than that of parasitic ones in all intervals of this salinity range. Salinity influences parasite richness and composition in two ways—directly and through the availability of hosts. Free-living crustaceans were hosts of most parasite species in hypersaline waters. Artemia spp., the most halotolerant animals, are an intermediate host for 22 species and unidentified forms of parasites.

On Two Morphologically Different Cysticercoids of the Genus Eurycestus (Cestoda: Dilepididae) in Artemia Franciscana (Arthropoda: Artemiidae) in a Hypersaline Pond in Dubai, United Arab Emirates

During a survey on tapeworm larval stages in Artemia franciscana from an artificial pond in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, a high prevalence of Eurycestus avoceti-like cysticercoids was established. Adult male and female crustaceans showed a prevalence of 61.9 and 62.7 %, respectively. The intensity ranged from one to four and one to three cyst, respectively. Out of 215 examined cysticercoids, 207 specimens had morphological features matching with E. avoceti. The flaky structure of the surrounding capsule, the elongated shape of the cysticercoid and the larger number of hooklets on the suckers suggest that the eight further larval cestodes belonged to another species of the genus Eurycestus.

Functional Role of Native and Invasive Filter-Feeders, and the Effect of Parasites: Learning from Hypersaline Ecosystems

Filter-feeding organisms are often keystone species with a major influence on the dynamics of aquatic ecosystems. Studies of filtering rates in such taxa are therefore vital in order to understand ecosystem functioning and the impact of natural and anthropogenic stressors such as parasites, climate warming and invasive species. Brine shrimps Artemia spp. are the dominant grazers in hypersaline systems and are a good example of such keystone taxa. Hypersaline ecosystems are relatively simplified environments compared with much more complex freshwater and marine ecosystems, making them suitable model systems to address these questions. The aim of this study was to compare feeding rates at different salinities and temperatures between clonal A. parthenogenetica (native to Eurasia and Africa) and the invasive American brine shrimp A. franciscana, which is excluding native Artemia from many localities. We considered how differences observed in laboratory experiments upscale at the ecosystem level across both spatial and temporal scales (as indicated by chlorophyll-a concentration and turbidity). In laboratory experiments, feeding rates increased at higher temperatures and salinities in both Artemia species and sexes, whilst A. franciscana consistently fed at higher rates. A field study of temporal dynamics revealed significantly higher concentrations of chlorophyll-a in sites occupied by A. parthenogenetica, supporting our experimental findings. Artemia parthenogenetica density and biomass were negatively correlated with chlorophyll-a concentration at the spatial scale. We also tested the effect of cestode parasites, which are highly prevalent in native Artemia but much rarer in the invasive species. The cestodes Flamingolepis liguloides and Anomotaenia tringae decreased feeding rates in native Artemia, whilst Confluaria podicipina had no significant effect. Total parasite prevalence was positively correlated with turbidity. Overall, parasites are likely to reduce feeding rates in the field, and their negative impact on host fecundity is likely to exacerbate the difference between grazing rates of native and alien Artemia populations at the ecosystem level. The results of this study provide evidence for the first time that the replacement of native Artemia by A. franciscana may have major consequences for the functioning of hypersaline ecosystems. The strong effect of parasites on feeding rate underlines the importance of taking parasites into account in order to improve our understanding of the functioning of aquatic ecosystems.

When Parasites Are Good for Health: Cestode Parasitism Increases Resistance to Arsenic in Brine Shrimps

Parasites and pollutants can both affect any living organism, and their interactions can be very important. To date, repeated studies have found that parasites and heavy metals or metalloids both have important negative effects on the health of animals, often in a synergistic manner. Here, we show for the first time that parasites can increase host resistance to metalloid arsenic, focusing on a clonal population of brine shrimp from the contaminated Odiel and Tinto estuary in SW Spain. We studied the effect of cestodes on the response of Artemia to arsenic (acute toxicity tests, 24h LC50) and found that infection consistently reduced mortality across a range of arsenic concentrations. An increase from 25°C to 29°C, simulating the change in mean temperature expected under climate change, increased arsenic toxicity, but the benefits of infection persisted. Infected individuals showed higher levels of catalase and glutathione reductase activity, antioxidant enzymes with a very important role in the protection against oxidative stress. Levels of TBARS were unaffected by parasites, suggesting that infection is not associated with oxidative damage. Moreover, infected Artemia had a higher number of carotenoid-rich lipid droplets which may also protect the host through the "survival of the fattest" principle and the antioxidant potential of carotenoids. This study illustrates the need to consider the multi-stress context (contaminants and temperature increase) in which host-parasite interactions occur.

Comparing cestode infections and their consequences for host fitness in two sexual branchiopods: alien Artemia franciscana and native A. salina from syntopic-populations

The American brine shrimp Artemia franciscana is invasive in the Mediterranean region where it has displaced native species (the sexual A. salina, and the clonal A. parthenogenetica) from many salt pond complexes. Artemia populations are parasitized by numerous avian cestodes whose effects have been studied in native species. We present a study from the Ebro Delta salterns (NE Spain), in a salt pond where both A. franciscana and native A. salina populations coexist, providing a unique opportunity to compare the parasite loads of the two sexual species in syntopy. The native species had consistently higher infection parameters, largely because the dominant cestode in A. salina adults and juveniles (Flamingolepis liguloides) was much rarer in A. franciscana. The most abundant cestodes in the alien species were Eurycestus avoceti (in adults) and Flamingolepis flamingo (in juveniles). The abundance of E. avoceti and F. liguloides was higher in the A. franciscana population syntopic with A. salina than in a population sampled at the same time in another pond where the native brine shrimp was absent, possibly because the native shrimp provides a better reservoir for parasite circulation. Infection by cestodes caused red colouration in adult and juvenile A. salina, and also led to castration in a high proportion of adult females. Both these effects were significantly stronger in the native host than in A. franciscana with the same parasite loads. However, for the first time, significant castration effects (for E. avoceti and F. liguloides) and colour change (for six cestode species) were observed in infected A. franciscana. Avian cestodes are likely to help A. franciscana outcompete native species. At the same time, they are likely to reduce the production of A. franciscana cysts in areas where they are harvested commercially.

Helminth parasites of Artemia franciscana (Crustacea: Branchiopoda) in the Great Salt Lake, Utah: first data from the native range of this invader of European wetlands

The present study is the first survey on the role of Artemia franciscana Kellogg as intermediate host of helminth parasites in its native geographical range in North America (previous studies have recorded nine cestode and one nematode species from this host in its invasive habitats in the Western Mediterranean). Samples of Artemia franciscana were collected from four sites in the Great Salt Lake (GSL), Utah, across several months (June-September 2009). A. franciscana serves as intermediate host of five helminth species in this lake. Four of them are cestodes: three hymenolepidids, i.e. Confluaria podicipina (Szymanski, 1905) (adults parasitic in grebes), Hymenolepis (sensu lato) californicus Young, 1950 (adults parasitic in gulls), Wardium sp. (definitive host unknown, probably charadriiform birds), and one dilepidid, Fuhrmannolepis averini Spassky et Yurpalova, 1967 (adults parasitic in phalaropes). In addition, an unidentified nematode of the family Acuariidae was recorded. Confluaria podicipina is the most prevalent and abundant parasite at all sampling sites, followed by H. (s. l.) californicus. The species composition of the parasites and the spatial variations in their prevalence and abundance reflect the abundance and distribution of aquatic birds serving as their definitive hosts. The temporal dynamics of the overall helminth infections exhibits the highest prevalence in the last month of study at each site (August or September). This native population of A. franciscana from GSL is characterised with higher prevalence, intensity and abundance of the overall cestode infection compared to the introduced populations of this species in the Palaearctic Region. The values of the infection descriptors in the native population of A. franciscana are slightly lower or in some cases similar to those of the Palaearctic species Artemia parthenogenetica Barigozzi (diploid populations) and Artemia salina (Linnaeus) in their native habitats.

High prevalence of cestodes in Artemia spp. throughout the annual cycle: relationship with abundance of avian final hosts

Brine shrimp, Artemia spp., act as intermediate hosts for a range of cestode species that use waterbirds as their final hosts. These parasites can have marked influences on shrimp behavior and fecundity, generating the potential for cascading effects in hypersaline food webs. We present the first comprehensive study of the temporal dynamics of cestode parasites in natural populations of brine shrimp throughout the annual cycle. Over a 12-month period, clonal Artemia parthenogenetica were sampled in the Odiel marshes in Huelva, and the sexual Artemia salina was sampled in the Salinas de Cerrillos in Almería. Throughout the year, 4-45 % of A. parthenogenetica were infected with cestodes (mean species richness = 0.26), compared to 27-72 % of A. salina (mean species richness = 0.64). Ten cestode species were recorded. Male and female A. salina showed similar levels of parasitism. The most prevalent and abundant cestodes were those infecting the most abundant final hosts, especially the Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber. In particular, the flamingo parasite Flamingolepis liguloides had a prevalence of up to 43 % in A. parthenogenetica and 63.5 % in A. salina in a given month. Although there was strong seasonal variation in prevalence, abundance, and intensity of cestode infections, seasonal changes in bird counts were weak predictors of the dynamics of cestode infections. However, infection levels of Confluaria podicipina in A. parthenogenetica were positively correlated with the number of their black-necked grebe Podiceps nigricollis hosts. Similarly, infection levels of Anomotaenia tringae and Anomotaenia microphallos in A. salina were correlated with the number of shorebird hosts present the month before. Correlated seasonal transmission structured the cestode community, leading to more multiple infections than expected by chance.

Host–parasite molecular cross-talk during the manipulative process of a host by its parasite

Many parasite taxa are able to alter a wide range of phenotypic traits of their hosts in ways that seem to improve the parasite’s chance of completing its life cycle. Host behavioural alterations are classically seen as compelling illustrations of the ‘extended phenotype’ concept, which suggests that parasite genes have phenotype effects on the host. The molecular mechanisms and the host–parasite cross-talk involved during the manipulative process of a host by its parasite are still poorly understood. In this Review, the current knowledge on proximate mechanisms related to the ‘parasite manipulation hypothesis’ is presented. Parasite genome sequences do not themselves provide a full explanation of parasite biology nor of the molecular cross-talk involved in host–parasite associations. Recently, first-generation proteomics tools have been employed to unravel some aspects of the parasite manipulation process (i.e. proximate mechanisms and evolutionary convergence) using certain model arthropod-host–parasite associations. The pioneer proteomics results obtained on the manipulative process are here highlighted, along with the many gaps in our knowledge. Candidate genes and biochemical pathways potentially involved in the parasite manipulation are presented. Finally, taking into account the environmental factors, we suggest new avenues and approaches to further explore and understand the proximate mechanisms used by parasite species to alter phenotypic traits of their hosts.

Participation of metanauplii and juvenile individuals of Artemia parthenogenetica (Branchiopoda) in the circulation of avian cestodes

Adult crustaceans of the genus Artemia (brine shrimps) are intermediate hosts in the life cycle of cestode species parasitic in aquatic birds as their definitive hosts. However, there are no data on the role of larval and juvenile brine shrimps in the transmission of avian helminth parasites. In order to examine the possible role of early developmental stages (nauplii, metanauplii and juveniles) of Artemia for the circulation of avian cestodes, the natural cestode infection in the population of Artemia parthenogenetica from La Mata Lagoon, Mediterranean coast of Spain, was studied. Metacestodes (cysticercoids) of four cestode species were recorded in adult brine shrimps: Flamingolepis liguloides and Flamingolepis flamingo (hymenolepidids parasitic in flamingos), Confluaria podicipina (a hymenolepidid species parasitic in grebes) and Eurycestus avoceti (a dilepidid species parasitic in avocets, stilts, plovers and, to a lesser extent, in flamingos). No cysticercoids were found in nauplii. Two species, F. liguloides and F. flamingo, were found in metanauplii and juvenile brine shrimps. Only 36.3% of the cysticercoids of F. liguloides occurred in adult brine shrimps; the remaining 63.7% were parasitic in metanauplii (39.6%) and juveniles (24.1%). Similarly, the metacestodes of F. flamingo were also distributed among various age groups: in adults (44.4% of cysticercoids), juveniles (27.8%) and metanauplii (27.8%). These results indicate that the early developmental stages of Artemia have an important role for the circulation of certain parasite species. No cysticercoids of C. podicipina and E. avoceti were recorded in larval and juvenile brine shrimps. The selective infestation of larval brine shrimps with flamingo parasites is probably associated with the feeding behaviour of definitive hosts, which are filtering predators; in contrast, grebes and waders pick brine shrimps individually one by one. The possible underlying mechanism for selective infestation of metanauplii and adults by certain cestode species is associated with the size of parasite eggs, allowing only cestode species with small eggs to be ingested by larval brine shrimps.

Carotenoid-based colour of acanthocephalan cystacanths plays no role in host manipulation

Manipulation by parasites is a catchy concept that has been applied to a large range of phenotypic alterations brought about by parasites in their hosts. It has, for instance, been suggested that the carotenoid-based colour of acanthocephalan cystacanths is adaptive through increasing the conspicuousness of infected intermediate hosts and, hence, their vulnerability to appropriate final hosts such as fish predators. We revisited the evidence in favour of adaptive coloration of acanthocephalan parasites in relation to increased trophic transmission using the crustacean amphipod Gammarus pulex and two species of acanthocephalans, Pomphorhynchus laevis and Polymorphus minutus. Both species show carotenoid-based colorations, but rely, respectively, on freshwater fish and aquatic bird species as final hosts. In addition, the two parasites differ in the type of behavioural alteration brought to their common intermediate host. Pomphorhynchus laevis reverses negative phototaxis in G. pulex, whereas P. minutus reverses positive geotaxis. In aquaria, trout showed selective predation for P. laevis-infected gammarids, whereas P. minutus-infected ones did not differ from uninfected controls in their vulnerability to predation. We tested for an effect of parasite coloration on increased trophic transmission by painting a yellow-orange spot on the cuticle of uninfected gammarids and by masking the yellow-orange spot of infected individuals with inconspicuous brown paint. To enhance realism, match of colour between painted mimics and true parasite was carefully checked using a spectrometer. We found no evidence for a role of parasite coloration in the increased vulnerability of gammarids to predation by trout. Painted mimics did not differ from control uninfected gammarids in their vulnerability to predation by trout. In addition, covering the place through which the parasite was visible did not reduce the vulnerability of infected gammarids to predation by trout. We discuss alternative evolutionary explanations for the origin and maintenance of carotenoid-based colorations in acanthocephalan parasites.

Cestode parasitism in invasive and native brine shrimps (Artemia spp.) as a possible factor promoting the rapid invasion of A. franciscana in the Mediterranean region

Artemia franciscana is an invasive crustacean expanding its range in hypersaline wetlands in the Mediterranean region and replacing native Artemia parthenogenetica and Artemia salina. Native brine shrimps are known as intermediate hosts of cestodes; infected individuals exhibit changes in their behaviour and appearance, thus facilitating the parasite transmission to the avian hosts by predation. To assess whether invasive brine shrimps participate in the cestode life cycles to the same extent as the native species, we examined the natural infections in seven populations of Artemia spp. along the southern coast of Spain and Portugal: three populations of each A. franciscana and A. parthenogenetica and one population of A. salina. Ten cestode species were found in A. parthenogenetica, while only six were recorded in each of A. salina and A. franciscana. The overall infection was consistently higher in native than in invasive populations. For a particular cestode species, the prevalence or abundance was significantly higher in a native population for 54 pairwise comparisons and only higher for an invasive population for 4 pairwise comparisons. These results suggest that cestodes may influence competitive interactions between native and invasive brine shrimps, thus partly explaining the invasive success of A. franciscana.

Avian cestodes affect the behaviour of their intermediate host Artemia parthenogenetica: An experimental study

The brine shrimp Artemia parthenogenetica (Crustacea, Branchiopoda) is intermediate host for several cestode species whose final hosts are waterbirds. Previous field studies have shown that brine shrimps infected with cestodes have a bright red colour and are spatially segregated in the water column. However, the ethological mechanisms explaining such field observations are unknown. Changes in appearance and behaviour induced by trophically transmitted parasites have been shown to increase the risk of predation by the final host. In this experimental study, we compared the behaviour of uninfected Artemia and those infected by avian cestodes. We found that parasitised individuals behave differently from unparasitised ones in several ways. In contrast to uninfected individuals, infected brine shrimps were photophilous and showed increased surface-swimming behaviour. These observations suggest that the modified behaviour (in addition to the bright red colour of the majority of the infected individuals) results in infected brine shrimps becoming more vulnerable to avian final hosts, which facilitates parasite transmission. We discuss our results in terms of the adaptive nature of behavioural changes and their potential implications for the hypersaline ecosystem.