Histopathology and Phylogeny of the Dinoflagellate Hematodinium perezi and the Epibiotic Peritrich Ciliate Epistylis sp. Infecting the Blue Crab Callinectes sapidus in the Eastern Mediterranean

Abstract

Bioinvasions constitute both a direct and an indirect threat to ecosystems. Direct threats include pressures on local trophic chains, while indirect threats might take the form of an invasion of a microorganism alongside its host. The marine dinoflagellate Hematodinium perezi, parasitizing blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus), has a worldwide distribution alongside its host. In Greece, fluctuations in the blue crab population are attributed to overexploitation and the effects of climate change. The hypothesis of the present study was that blue crab population reductions cannot only be due to these factors, and that particular pathogens may also be responsible for the fluctuations. To investigate this hypothesis, both lethargic and healthy blue crab specimens were collected from three different fishing sites in order to assess the health status of this important species. Together with the lethargic responses, the hemolymph of the infested crabs presented a milky hue, indicating the first signs of parasitic infestation with H. perezi. The histopathological results and molecular identification demonstrated the effect of the presence of H. perezi in the internal organs and their important role in the mortality of blue crabs. Specifically, H. perezi, in three different tissues examined (heart, gills, hepatopancreas), affected the hemocytes of the species, resulting in alterations in tissue structure. Apart from this dinoflagellate parasite, the epibiotic peritrich ciliate Epistylis sp. was also identified, infecting the gills. This study represents the first detection of H. perezi in the eastern Mediterranean, demonstrating that this is the main causative agent of blue crab mortality on Greek coastlines.