Trichodina murmanica (Ciliophora) and Gyrodactylus pleuronecti (Monogenea) parasitizing hatchery-reared winter flounder, Pseudopleuronectes americanus (Walbaum): effects on host growth and assessment of parasite interaction

Winter flounder, Pseudopleuronectes americanus, caught in Passamaquoddy Bay, New Brunswick, Canada, and held captive under crowded conditions, developed mixed infections of Trichodina murmanica Polyanski, 1955 (Ciliophora) and Gyrodactylus pleuronecti Cone, 1981 (Monogenea). A protocol involving sequential sieving was used to separate the two species of parasites and produce viable experimental baths. Replicate groups of juvenile, hatchery-reared flounder received one of the following treatments: mixed bath of G. pleuronecti and T. murmanica , bath of G. pleuronecti, bath of T. murmanica or parasite-free (controls). The abundance of both parasites correlated negatively with condition factor of the flounder ( r =−0.354, P  < 0.001 for Trichodina ; r =–0.205, P  < 0.05 for Gyrodactylus ). During the periods of peak parasite abundance (1–2 weeks postinfection), the effect of the two parasite species was additive, as mean condition factor and the percentage change in weight were significantly lower (ANOVA, P  < 0.05) among fish with mixed infections compared to single infections or controls. The most common signs of tissue pathology were increased density of epidermal mucous cells on the fins and macrovesicular lipidosis of the hepatocytes. After a significant decline in parasite infrapopulations (3 weeks postinfection), infected fish resumed normal growth, indicating the observed effects were somewhat reversible.     

Comparative analyses within Gyrodactylus (Platyhelminthes: Monogenea) mitochondrial genomes and conserved polymerase chain reaction primers for gyrodactylid mitochondrial DNA

In this study, we describe the complete mitochondrial genomes of Gyrodactylus brachymystacis and Gyrodactylus parvae infecting rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and the invasive topmouth gudgeon (Pseudorasbora parva), respectively. The two circular genomes have a common genome organization found in other Gyrodactylus species. Comparative analyses of mitochondrial genomes from six Gyrodactylus species were carried out to determine base composition, codon usage, transfer RNA and ribosomal RNA genes, major non‐coding regions, and nucleotide diversity within the genus. We also provide the first universal models of the secondary structures of rrnS and rrnL for this group thereby promoting utilization of these genetic markers. Universal primers provided herein can be used to obtain more mitochondrial information for pathogen identification and may reveal different levels of molecular phylogenetic inferences for this lineage.     

Dynamics of challenge infections of Gyrodactylus bullatarudis Turnbull (Monogenea) on guppies, Poecilia reticulata (Peters)

Abstract. Comparison of the population dynamics of Gyrodactylus bullatarudis o fish that were reinfected at 0, 1, 2, 4, or 6 weeks post-recovery from an initial, infection were based on the following parameters: percentage establishment, recovery and death, mean peak parasite burden, mean time to peak burden, mea duration of infection, mean time to death. Of fish that recover from an initial, infection, some are immediately susceptible to a challenge infection. Other fish are able to harbour a challenge infection hut parasite numbers increase less and the infection is of shorter duration than the initial. These fish regain their fu susceptibility within 4-6 weeks post-recovery. A third group of fish become totally refractory to reinfection and only slowly regain their ability to support an infection Thus even at 6 weeks post-recovery they are only partially susceptible t reinfection. It is probable that the three groups in fact represent a continuum increasing susceptibility to challenge infection.     

Epidemiology of Gyrodactylus salaris (Monogenea) in the River Tornionjoki, a Baltic wild salmon river

The occurrence of Gyrodactylus salaris in the River Tornionjoki was investigated in 2000-2004. Infection of salmon parr, Salmo salar, was common in the uppermost reach of the river system but decreased downstream and was rare in the lowermost reach. This pattern was consistent across the study period regardless of varying water temperatures. The oldest age groups of parr were more often infected than younger ones throughout the river system, irrespective of their origin (wild or stocked). Parasite-free hatchery-reared 1-year-old parr became infected during their first summer in the wild. Downmigrating salmon smolts had a high prevalence of infection, but their role in the distribution of infection seemed unimportant. On grayling, Thymallus thymallus, we observed only the grayling-specific clade of Gyrodactylus. We found no indication of grayling participating in the epidemiology of infection on salmon. The salmon parr and smolt population in the Tornionjoki has been at its height during the late 1990s and 2000s. Our results indicate that G. salaris infection in this Baltic river has no devastating effects on the salmon population as it has had in salmon rivers flowing into the North Atlantic and White Sea.     

The placement of Gyrodactylus salmonis (Yin & Sproston) in the molecular phylogeny of studied members of the Gyrodactylus wageneri‐group parasitizing salmonids

The molecular phylogeny of Gyrodactylus salmonis from brook charr, Salvelinus fontinalis, rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, cutthroat trout, O. clarkii, and Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, in Canada is presented using sequences from ITS‐rDNA and the mitochondrial COX 1 gene. Sequence variation among G. salmonis specimens from the different North American hosts was consistent with within‐species variation reported for other Gyrodactylus. Sequence data are compared to those from other members of the wageneri group parasitizing salmoniform fishes in northern Europe (G. derjavini, G. derjavinoides, G. lavareti, G. salaris, G. salvelini, G. teuchis and G. truttae) and Asia (G. brachymystacis). Sequence divergence between G. salmonis and the recently described G. salvelini on Arctic charr, Salvelinus alpinus, in Finland was consistent with within‐species levels of variation in Gyrodactylus; however, phylogenetic analyses and morphological comparisons provided evidence of their distinctiveness such that they appear to be sister species. They grouped with G. lavareti (a parasite of a coregonid) to form a clade separate from European and Asian species of the wageneri lineage known from salmonid fish. Further study of gyrodactylids from across salmonid, coregonid and thymallid fish in the northern hemisphere would shed more light on the phylogeography of these parasites and serves as an important backdrop to understanding the evolution of their emergent virulence.     

Interspecific hybridization of salmonid fish

Artificial hybridizations were carried out with 17 combinations using six species of Salmonidae, namely chinook and coho salmon, rainbow and brown trout, Atlantic salmon and brook trout. Success at the eyed stage, survival rates up to the 15th day after hatching, length of the incubation period and dispersion of hatching times were examined with reference to monospecific control lots.Success and survival rates of hybrids were found to be inferior or at the best similar to those of parental species. Significant maternal effects were observed within most types of crosses.Highly variable interaction factors were found to influence length of incubation of hybrids, which could exceed that of either parental species. The dispersion of hatching times was greater in hybrids than in pure species and tended to be negatively correlated to survival.A few types of hybrids showed promising results at the end of the experiment and their potential interest for aquaculture is discussed.     

Identification of Yersinia ruckeri from diseased salmonid fish by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

Yersinia ruckeri is the causative agent of enteric redmouth disease (ERM), which mainly affects salmonid fish. Isolates of Y. ruckeri from diseased salmonid fish were obtained over a 6‐year period from eight fish farms in the State of Baden‐Württemberg, Southwest Germany. The strains were characterized by biochemical methods and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR) combined with artificial neural network analysis. These methods were complemented by 16S rDNA sequencing for several isolates. The set of strains from these fish farms included sorbitol‐positive, gelatinase‐positive and non‐motile Y. ruckeri. These variants were differentiated with an advanced FT‐IR module, which is part of a higher‐ranking method including more than 200 well‐defined Yersinia strains against a background of more than 1000 other Gram‐negative isolates. Validation of the newly constructed method yielded 97.4% of Y. ruckeri identified correctly on the species level. Thus, the FT‐IR analysis enables distinction of all Y. ruckeri from other Yersinia species (e.g. fish‐borne Y. enterocolitica) and other Enterobacteriaceae typically misidentified because of similar biochemical reaction profiles, especially Hafnia alvei. The differentiation of sorbitol‐positive variants of Y. ruckeri using FT‐IR was demonstrated.     

细胞凝集素探针对典型赤潮生物的定量检测

采用14种异硫氰酸荧光素（FITC）标记的细胞凝集素探针对23株典型的有害赤潮生物进行了检测,结合流式细胞仪、荧光显微镜、荧光分光光度计对探针标记区分和识别目标藻的特异性和有效性进行定性和定量测定。结果表明,DBA可以把裸甲藻（Gymnodinium）GIXM01株与其他裸甲藻区分开：SBA、WGA和PNA探针能定性或定量地区分形态相似的裸甲藻GMDH01和TPXM01。PHA-E和SJA能分别将塔玛亚历山大藻（Alexandrium tamarense）ATDH04、ATMJ02株系与同种其他的藻株区分开：PNA也能从同种其他株系中识别塔玛亚历山大藻ATDH01,ATDH02,ATDH03株系：UEAⅠ能从同种藻株中识别塔玛亚历山大藻ATCI01．JN、ATCI01藻株;RCA120可以区分产毒水平不同的亚历山大藻属（Alexandrium）的ASPGX01和ASPGX02。DBA、SBA、PNA和LCA探针能定性和定量区分微小原甲藻（Prorocentrum minimum）PMDH01和PMXM01;而PNA探针仅能定量区分原甲藻属（Prorocentrum）PDDH01与PMXM01。用WGA探针结合流式细胞仪、荧光显微镜、荧光分光光度等检测手段可以把探针标记的目标裸甲藻GSPXM01和TPXM01从米氏凯伦藻（Karenia mikimotoi）、东海原甲藻（P.donghaiense）和微小原甲藻（P.minimum）等组成的混合样品中区分开。[中国水产科学,2008,15（2）：279-292]     

Polyphasic characterization of Aeromonas salmonicida isolates recovered from salmonid and non‐salmonid fish

Michigan's fisheries rely primarily upon the hatchery propagation of salmonid fish for release in public waters. One limitation on the success of these efforts is the presence of bacterial pathogens, including Aeromonas salmonicida, the causative agent of furunculosis. This study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of A. salmonicida in Michigan fish, as well as to determine whether biochemical or gene sequence variability exists among Michigan isolates. A total of 2202 wild, feral and hatchery‐propagated fish from Michigan were examined for the presence of A. salmonicida. The examined fish included Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha (Walbaum), coho salmon, O. kisutcha (Walbaum), steelhead trout, O. mykiss (Walbaum), Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis (Mitchill), and yellow perch, Perca flavescens (Mitchill). Among these, 234 fish yielded a brown pigment‐producing bacterium that was presumptively identified as A. salmonicida. Further phenotypic and phylogenetic analyses identified representative isolates as Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. salmonicida and revealed some genetic and biochemical variability. Logistic regression analyses showed that infection prevalence varied according to fish species/strain, year and gender, whereby Chinook salmon and females had the highest infection prevalence. Moreover, this pathogen was found in six fish species from eight sites, demonstrating its widespread nature within Michigan.     

基于鱼体背部弯曲潜能算法的四种主养鱼类识别

以四种主养淡水鱼鲫(Carassius auratus)、草鱼(Ctenopharyngodon idellus)、团头鲂(Megalobrama amblycephala)、鲤(Cyprinus carpio)为例,提出一种基于图像处理技术的鱼种类自动识别方法。首先通过鱼体信息采集系统获取待识别鱼体图像,并对其进行灰度化与二值化,得到鱼体轮廓信息;然后采用邻域边界算法对鱼体的轮廓进行提取,根据轮廓曲线建立鱼体背部轮廓数学模型;最后根据轮廓模型,采用鱼体背部弯曲潜能算法对不同种类鱼体样本的背部弯曲潜能值进行计算和聚类统计,得到不同鱼类样本的背部弯曲潜能值分布区间,从而通过比对待识别鱼体背部弯曲潜能值的区间实现对不同鱼类的自动识别。对四种主养鱼类的实验测试结果表明,对团头鲂的识别精度可以达到100%,对鲫、鲤和草鱼的识别精度达到96%,基本上能准确实现四种鱼体的分类识别,具有较好的实际应用价值。     

Proliferative kidney disease of salmonid fish: a review

Abstract A detailed review of proliferative kidney disease (PKD) in salmonids is presented. The introduction places the disease in a historical context. The various aspects of the disease are described from the existing literature, together with latest findings from current research. Particular emphasis is given to epidemiology, aetiology and pathology.     

Digestible energy need (DEN) of selected farmed fish species

Using the energy required (digestible energy need, DEN) to grow 1 kg of wet body weight, feed ration models can be created that accurately calculate the daily feed requirements for specific strains/stocks of fish and farm locality. This study examines the effect of body weight and temperature on the DEN. The relationship was examined using data from the current scientific literature for selected farmed fish species. In general, the DEN increased with increasing body weight for salmoniformes and pleuronectiformes. However, no effect of temperature was found for any groups examined by systematic order or species. Perciformes fish showed no effect of body weight or temperature on the DEN. This may be attributed to differences in the way that body composition changes occur among species as they grow (e.g., changes in fat storage), which in turn may be explained by an adaptation to life in warmer water.     

Using allometry with fish size to estimate production to biomass (P/B) ratios of salmonid populations

Abstract – The ratio of annual production rate to average biomass ( P / B ) is sometimes used as a shortcut method of estimating production if biomass is known. P / B ratios vary among salmonid populations in different areas depending on the species, fish size and growing conditions. The hypothesis that annual P / B ratios for salmonid populations can be predicted from the allometric equation: P / B  =  a W ^−0.35 was investigated in this study. The allometric coefficient (−0.35) was obtained from the literature, and W was the average weight (g) of fish in the population. Plots of P / B versus fish weight for three species of salmonids, Salvelinus fontinalis , Salmo trutta and Salmo salar , showed a declining trend, with a slope consistent with the hypothesis. The coefficient a of the allometric equation was species and habitat dependent. The efficacy of using the allometric formula to estimate the P / B ratio of specific salmonid populations is examined.