A comparative assessment of the morphology of Profilicollis altmani (Acanthocephala, Polymorphidae) from crustaceans and shore birds in Peru, with special notes on hook elemental analysis (EDXA), SEM imaging, histopathology, and molecular profile.

Omar M. Amin,César Peña,Guillermo D’Elía,Teresa Castro,Richard A. Heckmann,Felipe Rivera,Sara M. Rodríguez,Nataliya Rubtsova

doi:10.1051/parasite/2022005

Abstract

The morphology of cystacanths and adults of Profilicollis altmani (Perry, 1942) Van Cleave, 1947 (Polymorphidae) were studied from the Pacific mole crab Emerita analoga (Stimpson) (Crustacea, Hippidae) and Belcher’s gull Larus belcheri (Vigors) (Aves, Laridae), respectively, in Peru. Comparative morphometrics with accounts of other populations of P. altmani from elsewhere off the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of North and South America revealed marked intraspecific population variations. We report scanning electron micrographs (SEM) of new features, not before noted or captured in line drawings by earlier observers. We further present microscope images that reveal internal details not previously reported or possible to see with SEM. Energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDXA) revealed unusual patterns in the chemistry of proboscis hooks especially the high sulfur and diminished phosphorous and calcium in hook tips and low sulfur and high levels of phosphorous and calcium at mid hooks. The size and shape of all hooks of the cystacanths are reported for the first time. Histopathological studies in L. belcheri from Peru are also included. Cystacanths of P. altmani from California were also analyzed for molecular patterns and compared with other sequences reported from other locations. The molecular data and the analysis of our new sequences of cytochrome oxidase I (COI) showed that haplotypes of P. altmani had low genetic variation; the species is not geographically structured, and within its clade no monophyletic group is formed.

Highlights

Cystacanths and adults of Profilicollis altmani (Perry, 1942) Van Cleave, 1947 (Polymorphidae) are common parasites of mole crabs and shore birds, respectively, along the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of North and South America [33, 53, 57, 59]
The following treatment is based on the microscopic and scanning electron micrographs (SEM) studies of cystacanths and adults of P. altmani collected from E. analoga and L. belcheri, at various beaches of Lima, Peru during 1976–1978 and 1981–1982, respectively
We note that the prevalence and intensity of infection of E. analoga with cystacanths decreased from 80% and 2–30 in 1976 to 65% and 1–9 in 1981

Summary

Introduction

Cystacanths and adults of Profilicollis altmani (Perry, 1942) Van Cleave, 1947 (Polymorphidae) are common parasites of mole crabs and shore birds, respectively, along the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of North and South America [33, 53, 57, 59]. M. deglandi Bonaparte) at Carmel Bay, California, USA by Perry [54] It was later described as Polymorphus kenti Van Cleave, 1947 from a herring gull (Larus argentatus Pontoppidan) at New Brunswick, Canada by Van Cleave [75]. Karl [42] gave an emended description of adults, as Polymorphus altmani, from 8 species of shorebirds and described the cystacanths from the mole crab Emerita analoga (Stimpson) (Hippidae) along the coast of California Many authors treated these synonyms as independent species and some like Petrochenko [55], as Parafilicollis Petrochenko, 1956), Hoklova [40], and Amin [3] have included them in dichotomous keys based on intraspecific variations in proboscis armature and length of proboscis. Filicollis altmani Perry, 1942; Parafilicollis altmani (Perry, 1942) Petrochenko, 1956; Polymorphus bullocki Mateo, Cordova et Guzman, 1982; Profilicollis kenti (Van Cleave, 1947) Khokhlova, 1974; Polymorphus kenti Van Cleave, 1947; Parafilicollis kenti (Van Cleave, 1947) Petrochenko, 1956; Falsificollis kenti (Van Cleave, 1947) Yamaguti, 1963 fide

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion