Lehnert Kristina, IJsseldijk Lonneke L, Uy May Li, Boyi Joy Ometere, van Schalkwijk Linde, Tollenaar Eveline A P, Gröne Andrea, Wohlsein Peter, Siebert Ursula
Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Werftstr. 6, D-25761, Buesum, Germany.
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Biomolecular Health Sciences, Division of Pathology, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 1, 3584CL, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl. 2021 Apr 2;15:22-30. doi: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2021.02.015. eCollection 2021 Aug.
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 (), as the most abundant cetacean species in the North Sea, and on a pilot whale (), 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 and identified. was determined in all infected harbour porpoises. was identified on only the pilot whale. Molecular analyses showed 88% similarity of mDNA COI sequences of with 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.
鲸虱（鲸虱科；端足目）是适应海洋环境的体外寄生甲壳类动物，以鲸类为宿主。关于北海齿鲸身上出现鲸虱的报道很少，且缺乏长期研究。在过去几十年里，德国和荷兰沿海对海洋哺乳动物健康状况进行了监测，并开展了广泛的尸检调查。本研究的目的是分析北海搁浅鲸类（2010 - 2019年）的存档体外寄生虫样本，以确定体外寄生虫感染的种类、患病率及其影响。在两种鲸类动物身上发现了体外寄生虫——港湾鼠海豚（北海最常见的鲸类物种）和领航鲸（北海的稀有物种）。鲸类动物体外寄生甲壳类动物的患病率较低：在荷兰搁浅的港湾鼠海豚中为7.6%（n = 608），在德国搁浅的港湾鼠海豚中为1.6%（n = 122）。所有鲸虱感染均在有溃疡等皮肤损伤的宿主身上发现。形态学研究揭示了已鉴定的鲸虱物种[物种名1]和[物种名2]之间的特征差异。在所有受感染的港湾鼠海豚中均检测到[物种名1]。仅在领航鲸身上鉴定出[物种名2]。分子分析显示[物种名1]的线粒体DNA细胞色素氧化酶亚基I（mDNA COI）序列与[物种名2]有88%的相似性，支持它们为不同物种。需要对其他基因位点进行系统发育分析，以全面评估不同地理区域间鲸虱物种的多样性和交换情况以及宿主特异性。荷兰和德国搁浅港湾鼠海豚中鲸虱患病率的差异可能表明这两个地区皮肤损伤严重程度存在差异。是否更多的种间或种内接触，例如由于港湾鼠海豚密度较高或与其他鲸类接触，或者北海南部港湾鼠海豚健康状况较差，可以解释这些差异，仍需进一步研究。
