Trichodina diaptomi, Epibiont or Parasite?
Marcelo Silva-Briano*, Araceli Adabache-Ortiz, Alondra Encarnación-Luévano, Jaime Antonio Escoto-Moreno, Gerardo Guerrero-Jiménez and Ángel Alcalá-Pavia
Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, Centro de Ciencias Básicas & Departamento de Biología. Av. Universidad No. 940. Ciudad Universitaria, México
Submission: September 26, 2022; Published: October 14, 2022
*Corresponding author: Marcelo Silva-Briano, Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes. Centro de Ciencias Básicas. Edificio 202. Laboratorio No. 1, de Ecología. Departamento de Biología. Av. Universidad No. 940. Ciudad Universitaria. C. P. 20100. Aguascalientes, Ags, México
How to cite this article: Marcelo S-B, Araceli A-O, Alondra E-L, Jaime Antonio E-M, Gerardo G-J, et al. Trichodina diaptomi, Epibiont or Parasite?. Int J Environ Sci Nat Res. 2022; 31(3): 556311. DOI 10.19080/IJESNR.2022.31.556311
Abstract
Trichodina diaptomi (Ciliophora: Peritrichida: Trichodinidae); epibiont or parasite?
In the state of Aguascalientes, Mexico: The ciliate Trichodina diaptomi (Basson and Van As 1991), is recorded moving on the shell (carapace) of Diaptomid copepods: Mastigodiaptomus albuquerquensis (Herrick 1895) and M. montezumae (Brehm 1955) [1]. The ciliate measures 50 to 60 microns in diameter, mostly parasitizes freshwater animals and fishes. However, recently there have been other species of micro crustaceans, both cladocerans (Daphnia laevis Birge 1878 and Bosmina huaronensis Delachaux 1918), other copepods Arctodiaptomus dorsalis (Marsh 1907) and Leptodiaptomus siciliodes (Lilljeborg 1889), with the same pattern of coexistence, moving on the carapace of these species.
Keywords: Cladocera; Copepoda; Freshwater; Zooplankton
Introduction
In the waterbodies of Aguascalientes State, there is a microscopic world that is completely unknown that is part of the plankton, in addition to other groups of invertebrates. However, there seems to be a protist that is transported by some species of invertebrates or even parisitizes them. This is the case of Trichodina diaptomi (Basson and Van As 1991), which in the state of Aguascalientes has been found to move on the carapace of cladocerans and copepods (Figure 1-3). Trichodina is a ciliated 50 to 60μm in diameter that mostly parasitizes freshwater animals and fishes. However, it has been found as endo and ectoparasites or commensals of marine organisms such as Ctenophora [2], mainly fish [3-6]. In Mexico, it was found in Astyanax mexicanus in Cuatro Ciénegas, Coahuila [7]. The Trichodinids are endoparasites of the amphibian tractourogenital [8], as well as in Hydra sp. and in bivalve of the genus Mya sp. [2].
Trichodina diaptomi is distinguished by the presence of a belt or ring of calcium denticles (Figure 4 & 5), which provides the support to adhere to the surface (Figure 6-13) of the host [1]. At first it was thought that T. diaptomi was feeding on the calanoid copepods, Mastigodiaptomus albuquerquensis and M. montezumae [1]
In addition, they present an adhesive disc that probably secretes some special glue that does not allow it to be separated from the host (Figure 14 & 15). After a while of observing them it was possible to appreciate that they only moved across the carapace (cephalothorax) of these crustaceans (Figure 1 & 2). Recently it has been found that they also thrive on other zooplankters of the cladocerans group.
The aim of this study, simply to show graphically (with images) which species of zooplankton use Trichodina diaptomi as transport (foresia), to move or take them hostage for their development and survival, which inhabit the state of Aguascalientes.
Materials and Methods
The zooplankton samples were taken using a Wisconsin-type plankton net of 54 microns mesh size and fixed in 4% formaldehyde. The images were taken using the JEOL LV 5900 scanning electron microscope. Digital images were also taken with a digital camera using the PRO PLUS program, and an Apple iphone 5s.
Results
When T. diaptomi was found in Aguascalientes State, there were no records in Mexico and America in general, only a reference of this ciliate in South America [9]. This work shows Trichodina using several species of zooplankton as a means of transport. Recently, there was another record of Trichodina mutabilis Kazubski and Migala 1968, in the characid Astyanax mexicanus (De Filippi 1853) of Cuatro Ciénegas, Coahuila, although not on micro crustaceans.
a small dam in the state of Aguascalientes, where the aforementioned copepods usually inhabit, there have not fish, and even the populations of these crustaceans are very large. [9], mentions that in the case of Trichodina not finding any fish in the water body, these organisms change their food habits and become bacterivores.
Copepods show numerous pores on the surface of the cephalothorax (Figure 16) that definitely shows the presence of this adhesive or mucus (Figure 15) secreted by Trichodina, which suggests that there is sensitivity.
At first it was thought that T. diaptomi was feeding on the calanoid copepods, Mastigodiaptomus albuquerquensis and M. montezumae. After a while of observing them it was possible to appreciate that they only moved through the carapace (cephalothorax) of these crustaceans (Figure 1 & 2). In other groups such as the cladocerans where Trichodina has recently been found, it has not been possible to observe if the surface of the carapace shows any damage.
Following the collections of zooplankton (Rotifera, Cladocera and Copepoda), recently T. diaptomi has been found in different micro crustaceans, so they all represent new records (Figure 17).
The groups under study are: Cladocera and Copepoda, whose list is presented below:
Cladocera:
Daphniidae
a) Daphnia laevis (Figure 6-9)
Bosminidae
a) Bosmina huaronensis (Figure 10 & 18)
Copepoda:
Diaptomidae
a) Leptodiaptomus siciliodes (Figure 11,19 & 20)
b) Arctodiaptomus dorsalis (Figure 3 & 21)
c) Mastigodiaptomus albuquerquensis (Figure 1 & 2)
d) M. montezumae (Figure 12 & 13)
Discussion
In general, the effects of Trichodina on fish are reported in the literature. In Mexico there are no reports of this fact, except the report of Islas-Ortega & Aguilar-Aguilar [7] where Trichodina mutabilis infects the characid Astyanax mexicanus. Another report mentions that in Brazil, T. diaptomi was found in the Calanoid Notodiaptomus deitersi (Poppe 1890) moving along its cephalothorax (carapace) [9]. However, there are no reports about the presence of Trichodina in other zooplanktons, until today they have been registered in the state of Aguascalientes.
It seems that T. diaptomi has a wide variety of groups and species of micro invertebrates used as a transport, since at first it had only been reported in copepods. Cladocerans are also included in this type of interaction.
As it was possible to verify, it does not produce any damage (or at least no damage was observed) to the hosts, although the trace left on the host can be observed.
It is necessary to continue with this type of research to know more about this type of ecological interactions with Trichodina diaptomi, since the implications of the species involved and this ciliate are unknown.
It is also necessary to know if they are hosts of other groups of invertebrates, since they have not yet been observed in rotifers, as with other protists that invade them such as Carchesium, Epistylis, Scyphidia, Vorticella and Colacium vesiculosum, as well as several species of algae.
According to the observations made in the species reported with Trichodina in their shell, there is no damage, probably because they have not been found in large quantities as in the case of Epystilis sp., which has been stored in large quantities over the head, carapace, antennae and post-abdomen in a massive way.
Acknowledgement
Special thanks to the biologists Ramsés Alejandro Rosales García and Aldanelly Herrera Meza for their contribution of several micrographs used for this work.
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