TY - JOUR
T1 - The most vagile host as the main determinant of population connectivity in marine macroparasites
AU - Feis, Marieke
AU - Thieltges, David W.
AU - Jensen, K.T.
AU - Olsen, Jeanine L.
AU - de Montaudouin, Xavier
AU - Bazaïri, Hocein
AU - Culloty, Sarah C.
AU - Luttikhuizen, Pieternella C.
PY - 2015
Y1 - 2015
N2 - ABSTRACT: Although molecular ecology of macroparasites is still in its infancy, general patterns
are beginning to emerge, e.g. that the most vagile host in a complex life cycle is the main determinant
of the population genetic structure of their parasites. This insight stems from the observation
that populations of parasites with only freshwater hosts are more structured than those with
terrestrial or airborne hosts. Until now, the same has not been tested for marine systems, where, in
theory, a fully marine life cycle might sustain high dispersal rates because of the absence of obvious
physical barriers in the sea. Here, we tested whether a marine trematode parasite that utilises
migratory birds exhibited weaker population genetic structure than those whose life cycle utilises
marine fish as the vagile host. Part of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase 1 (COI) gene was
sequenced from individual sporocysts from populations along the Atlantic coast of Europe and
North Africa. Strong population structure (Fst = 0.25, p < 0.0001) was found in the fully marine
trematode Bucephalus minimus (hosted by fish), while no significant structure (Fst = 0.015, p =
0.19257) was detected in Gymnophallus choledochus (hosted by birds). However, demographic
models indicate recent colonisation rather than high dispersal as an alternative explanation of the
low levels of structure observed in G. choledochus. Our study is the first to identify significant
genetic population structure in a marine autogenic parasite, suggesting that connectivity between
populations of marine parasites can be limited despite the general potential for high dispersal of
their hosts in the marine environment.
AB - ABSTRACT: Although molecular ecology of macroparasites is still in its infancy, general patterns
are beginning to emerge, e.g. that the most vagile host in a complex life cycle is the main determinant
of the population genetic structure of their parasites. This insight stems from the observation
that populations of parasites with only freshwater hosts are more structured than those with
terrestrial or airborne hosts. Until now, the same has not been tested for marine systems, where, in
theory, a fully marine life cycle might sustain high dispersal rates because of the absence of obvious
physical barriers in the sea. Here, we tested whether a marine trematode parasite that utilises
migratory birds exhibited weaker population genetic structure than those whose life cycle utilises
marine fish as the vagile host. Part of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase 1 (COI) gene was
sequenced from individual sporocysts from populations along the Atlantic coast of Europe and
North Africa. Strong population structure (Fst = 0.25, p < 0.0001) was found in the fully marine
trematode Bucephalus minimus (hosted by fish), while no significant structure (Fst = 0.015, p =
0.19257) was detected in Gymnophallus choledochus (hosted by birds). However, demographic
models indicate recent colonisation rather than high dispersal as an alternative explanation of the
low levels of structure observed in G. choledochus. Our study is the first to identify significant
genetic population structure in a marine autogenic parasite, suggesting that connectivity between
populations of marine parasites can be limited despite the general potential for high dispersal of
their hosts in the marine environment.
U2 - 10.3354/meps11096
DO - 10.3354/meps11096
M3 - Journal article
SN - 0171-8630
VL - 520
SP - 85
EP - 99
JO - Marine Ecology Progress Series
JF - Marine Ecology Progress Series
ER -