Inter-Research > DAO > v122 > n2 > p137-152  
DAO
Diseases of Aquatic Organisms

via Mailchimp

DAO 122:137-152 (2016)  -  DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/dao03070

Parasites, pathological conditions and resistance to Marteilia cochillia in lagoon cockle Cerastoderma glaucum from Galicia (NW Spain)

María J. Carballal1, David Iglesias1, Susana Darriba2, Asunción Cao1, J. Carlos Mariño3, Andrea Ramilo1,5, Edgar No1, Antonio Villalba1,4,*

1Centro de Investigacións Mariñas (CIMA), Consellería do Mar, Xunta de Galicia, 36620 Vilanova de Arousa, Spain
2Instituto Tecnolóxico para o Control do Medio Mariño de Galicia (INTECMAR), Consellería do Mar, Xunta de Galicia, 36611 Vilagarcía de Arousa, Spain
3Confraría de Pescadores ‘San Antonio’ de Cambados, 36630 Cambados, Spain
4Department of Life Sciences, University of Alcalá, 28871 Alcalá de Henares, Spain
5Present address: Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, 36208 Vigo, Spain
*Corresponding author:

ABSTRACT: A histopathological survey revealed parasites and pathological conditions affecting lagoon cockles Cerastoderma glaucum along the Galician coast; serious pathological threats were not detected because the potentially pathogenic conditions (infections with a Marteilia-like parasite and bucephalid sporocysts, disseminated neoplasia and a condition involving large foci of heavy haemocytic reaction) were rare, while more prevalent parasites had negligible or limited pathogeny. Considering that C. edule and C. glaucum are sympatric in some Galician rias, it is remarkable that C. glaucum was not seriously affected by Marteilia cochillia while C. edule suffered an intense outbreak of this parasite associated with massive mortality. Comparison of the digestive gland between cockle species showed co-occurrence of digestive tubules in different phases, with abundant disintegrated tubules, in the case of C. glaucum, while C. edule showed synchronicity and absence of fully disintegrated tubules; these differences could influence their susceptibility to M. cochillia because the main location of this parasite in common cockles is the epithelia of the digestive gland. Moreover, the observation of histological sections through the digestive gland easily allows differentiating the 2 cockle species.


KEY WORDS: Rickettsia-like organism · Nematopsis · Pseudoklossia · Ciliates · Steinhausia · Paravortex · Trematoda · Disseminated neoplasia


Full text in pdf format
Cite this article as: Carballal MJ, Iglesias D, Darriba S, Cao A and others (2016) Parasites, pathological conditions and resistance to Marteilia cochillia in lagoon cockle Cerastoderma glaucum from Galicia (NW Spain). Dis Aquat Org 122:137-152. https://doi.org/10.3354/dao03070

Export citation
Share:    Facebook - - linkedIn

 Previous article Next article