Hematodinium
| Hematodinium | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| (unranked): | Sar |
| (unranked): | Alveolata |
| Phylum: | Dinoflagellata |
| Class: | Syndiniophyceae |
| Order: | Syndiniales |
| Family: | Syndiniaceae |
| Genus: |
Hematodinium Chatton & Poisson, 1930 |
| Species | |
Hematodinium is a genus of dinoflagellates. Species in this genus, such as Hematodinium perezi, the type species, are internal parasites of the hemolymph of crustaceans such as the Atlantic blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) and Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus). Species in the genus are economically damaging to commercial crab fisheries, including causing bitter crab disease in the large Tanner or snow crab fisheries of the Bering Sea.
Introduction
Hematodinium is a harmful parasitic dinoflagellate in marine decapod crustaceans, often dwelling in the hemolymph of host organisms (Gornick, 2013). Drastic changes in the host’s vital organs, tissues, and hemolymph lead to the degeneration of the organism (Stentiford and Shields, 2005). Previous studies indicate that species in genus Hematodium affect many organisms in Order Decapoda, and may also affect Order Amphipoda (Lohan, 2012) and subclass Copepoda (Manier et al, 1971). These crustacean taxa include crabs, lobsters, crayfish, prawns, and shrimp – all commercially important food sources for many countries. The effects of Hematodinium parasites are aggressive and can be lethal, thus capable of eradicating entire crab populations. Discoveries of Hematodinium pathogens in decapods span from western Atlantic Ocean (Lohan, 2012) to southern Australia (Gornick, 2013). As a result of the prevalence of Hematodinium in many ocean waters, significant damage is done for many fishery industries around the globe.
History of knowledge
Hematodinium perezi is one of the first species to have been studied in genus Hematodinium (Stentiford and Shields, 2005). This organism is well-known and is consequently used as the main study subject for this genus. The first declaration of H. perezi was made in 1931 by Chatton and Poisson off the coasts of Normandy and France. They were discovered in swimming crabs Carcinus maenas and Liocarcinus depurator. At that time, Chatton and Poisson’s studies were not successful in generating reliable data on Hematodinium. This was because only a small percentage of tested crabs showed indication that they carried the H. perezi parasite. Nonetheless, future discoveries of similar diseases in other crabs have been linked back to H. perezi since Chatton and Poisson’s first sighting. Later affected crabs include Cancer pagurus (Latrouite et al., 1988; Stentiford et al., 2002) and Necora puber (Wilhelm and Boulo, 1988; Wilhelm and Mialhe, 1996).
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