Prati Sebastian, Rückert Sonja, Grabner Daniel S, Sures Bernd, Bojko Jamie
Aquatic Ecology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitaetsstr. 5, 45141 Essen, Germany; Centre for Water and Environmental Research, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitaetsstr. 5, 45141 Essen, Germany.
Centre for Water and Environmental Research, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitaetsstr. 5, 45141 Essen, Germany; Eukaryotic Microbiology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitaetsstr. 5, 45141 Essen, Germany; Center for Conservation and Restoration Science, Edinburgh Napier University, Sighthill Campus, Sighthill Court, Edinburgh EH11 4BN, United Kingdom.
J Invertebr Pathol. 2024 Nov;207:108224. doi: 10.1016/j.jip.2024.108224. Epub 2024 Oct 24.
We describe a novel sanguicolous parasitic ciliate, Metacollinia emscheri n. sp., found in the freshwater amphipods Gammarus pulex and G. fossarum. This ciliate infected 8.05 % of the amphipods collected in a German stream catchment, the Boye, a tributary of the river Emscher. The ciliate showed morphological characteristics fitting the genus Metacollinia. Different life stages of variable size occurred simultaneously in the hemocoel throughout the hosts' body. The tomont had 40-47 slightly spiraled kineties, a non-ciliated cortical band, a large macronucleus, and contractile vacuoles arranged in rows or scattered throughout the cytoplasm. The protomites/tomites with nine somatic kineties presented evidence of the buccal kineties x, y, and z reminiscent of those of the order Foettingeriida. Phylogenetic analyses of the 18S rRNA and COI regions confirm the ciliate placement in the Collinidae and a close relatedness to the type species of the genus Metacollinia, Metacollinia luciensis. We formally describe this new parasite as Metacollinia emscheri n. sp. using pathological, morphological, and nuclear/mitochondrial genetic data. The systemic infections observed in histological preparations and the pathogenicity of Metacollinia emscheri n. sp. suggest that this parasite might influence host population dynamics. Given the ecological importance of amphipods as keystone species in freshwater ecosystems, an outbreak of this parasite might indirectly impact ecosystem functioning.
我们描述了一种新发现的寄生于血液中的纤毛虫，埃氏后科林虫（Metacollinia emscheri n. sp.），它存在于淡水双足动物蚤状钩虾（Gammarus pulex）和溪钩虾（G. fossarum）体内。这种纤毛虫感染了在德国埃姆斯河支流博耶河集水区采集的8.05%的双足动物。该纤毛虫表现出符合后科林虫属的形态特征。不同大小的不同生命阶段在宿主身体的血腔中同时出现。包囊有40 - 47条轻微螺旋状的动基列、一条无纤毛的皮层带、一个大的大核以及成排或散布在整个细胞质中的收缩泡。具有九条体动基列的原虫/包囊期虫体显示出颊动基列x、y和z，这让人联想到福廷格目（Foettingeriida）的动基列。对18S rRNA和COI区域的系统发育分析证实该纤毛虫属于科林科（Collinidae），并且与后科林虫属的模式种卢氏后科林虫（Metacollinia luciensis）密切相关。我们利用病理学、形态学以及核/线粒体遗传数据，将这种新寄生虫正式描述为埃氏后科林虫（Metacollinia emscheri n. sp.）。在组织学切片中观察到的全身感染以及埃氏后科林虫的致病性表明，这种寄生虫可能会影响宿主种群动态。鉴于双足动物作为淡水生态系统中关键物种的生态重要性，这种寄生虫的爆发可能会间接影响生态系统功能。
