Coinfection of slime feather duster worms (Annelida, Myxicola) by different gregarine apicomplexans (Selenidium) and astome ciliates reflects spatial niche partitioning and host specificity

Individual organisms can host multiple species of parasites (or symbionts), and one species of parasite can infect different host species, creating complex interactions among multiple hosts and parasites. When multiple parasite species coexist in a host, they may compete or use strategies, such as s...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Parasitology 2024-04, Vol.151 (4), p.400-411
Main Authors: Park, Eunji, Leander, Brian
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Annelida
Annelids
apicomplexans
Biodiversity
Ciliates
coinfection
Endosymbionts
Feathers
Foregut
gregarines
Hindgut
Host specificity
Host-parasite interactions
Life cycles
Light
Marine ecology
Microscopy
Myxicola
Niche overlap
niche partitioning
Niches
Oocysts
Parasites
Partitioning
Phylogenetics
Phylogeny
polychaetes
Protozoa
Scanning electron microscopy
Selenidium
Slime
Species
Symbionts
tissue tropism
Worms
Citations: Items that this one cites
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Individual organisms can host multiple species of parasites (or symbionts), and one species of parasite can infect different host species, creating complex interactions among multiple hosts and parasites. When multiple parasite species coexist in a host, they may compete or use strategies, such as spatial niche partitioning, to reduce competition. Here, we present a host–symbiont system with two species of Selenidium (Apicomplexa, Gregarinida) and one species of astome ciliate co-infecting two different species of slime feather duster worms (Annelida, Sabellidae, Myxicola) living in neighbouring habitats. We examined the morphology of the endosymbionts with light and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and inferred their phylogenetic interrelationships using small subunit (SSU) rDNA sequences. In the host ‘Myxicola sp. Quadra’, we found two distinct species of Selenidium; S. cf. mesnili exclusively inhabited the foregut, and S. elongatum n. sp. inhabited the mid to hindgut, reflecting spatial niche partitioning. Selenidium elongatum n. sp. was also present in the host M. aesthetica, which harboured the astome ciliate Pennarella elegantia n. gen. et sp. Selenidium cf. mesnili and P. elegantia n. gen. et sp. were absent in the other host species, indicating host specificity. This system offers an intriguing opportunity to explore diverse aspects of host–endosymbiont interactions and competition among endosymbionts.
ISSN:0031-1820
1469-8161
DOI:10.1017/S0031182024000209