Evolution
The
blue crab is one of the most harvested animals on the planet. Due to
being highly prized for its taste, it has suffered overharvesting in
some of its habitats. Though management schemes have been set up in many
places, overharvesting is just one of the problems the blue crab faces.
Hematodinium is one of the deadlier parasites the blue crab can host. The single-celled organism causes bitter
crab
disease, affecting the crab's hemolymph (analogous to both blood and
tissue fluid in vertebrates). These changes can be seen in lack of
clotting ability and discolouration. Death typically occurs due to
energy depletion or disruption of bodily tissues. Removal of infected
crabs would have very little effect, as the parasite can survive on many
other similar species.
However, we may soon have the means to
curb Hematodinium's prevalence. Professor Jeff Shields (Virginia
Institute of Marine Science, or VIMS) and his colleagues recently mapped
the parasite's life cycle. This knowledge has important implications -
from this basis, work can begin on picking apart how Hematodinium
functions and its routes of transmission. More successful preventative
measures can be drawn from these life cycle findings, and combined with
genetic research (already in progress at VIMS) we can gain a much
greater understanding of this parasite.
Photo credit: George Grall.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/
The
blue crab is one of the most harvested animals on the planet. Due to
being highly prized for its taste, it has suffered overharvesting in
some of its habitats. Though management schemes have been set up in many
places, overharvesting is just one of the problems the blue crab faces.
Hematodinium is one of the deadlier parasites the blue crab can host. The single-celled organism causes bitter
Hematodinium is one of the deadlier parasites the blue crab can host. The single-celled organism causes bitter
crab
disease, affecting the crab's hemolymph (analogous to both blood and
tissue fluid in vertebrates). These changes can be seen in lack of
clotting ability and discolouration. Death typically occurs due to
energy depletion or disruption of bodily tissues. Removal of infected
crabs would have very little effect, as the parasite can survive on many
other similar species.
However, we may soon have the means to curb Hematodinium's prevalence. Professor Jeff Shields (Virginia Institute of Marine Science, or VIMS) and his colleagues recently mapped the parasite's life cycle. This knowledge has important implications - from this basis, work can begin on picking apart how Hematodinium functions and its routes of transmission. More successful preventative measures can be drawn from these life cycle findings, and combined with genetic research (already in progress at VIMS) we can gain a much greater understanding of this parasite.
Photo credit: George Grall.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/
However, we may soon have the means to curb Hematodinium's prevalence. Professor Jeff Shields (Virginia Institute of Marine Science, or VIMS) and his colleagues recently mapped the parasite's life cycle. This knowledge has important implications - from this basis, work can begin on picking apart how Hematodinium functions and its routes of transmission. More successful preventative measures can be drawn from these life cycle findings, and combined with genetic research (already in progress at VIMS) we can gain a much greater understanding of this parasite.
Photo credit: George Grall.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/
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