Skip to main content
Download PDF
  • Invertebrates
  • Published:

Epizootiology of diseases of oysters(Crassostrea virginica), and parasites of associated organisms in eastern North America

Helgoländer Meeresuntersuchungen volume 37, pages 149–166 (1984)Cite this article

Abstract

Haplosporidan parasites of oysters have been reported from four continents. Those of the generalMinchinia, Haplosporidium, andMarteilia, which cause serious diseases of oysters, have been intensively studied. Epizootiology of these highly pathogenic species is well known. Life cycles are obscure for all haplosporidans because artificial infections have not been achieved. The high pathogenicity of newly-discovered haplosporidan diseases to native oysters in eastern North America and western Europe may indicate that these are exotic pathogens parasitizing susceptible oysters not previously exposed to these disease agents. Epizootiology of two haplosporidan pathogens along the middle Atlantic Coast of North America during 25 years of disease activity is discussed.Haplosporidium nelsoni sporulates only rarely and its life cycle remains unconfirmed. Resistant oysters were developed in nature and from laboratory breeding.Haplosporidium costale which causes “Seaside Disease” in high-salinity waters appears to be a more acclimated disease with regular patterns of infection and mortality. Several minor parasites whose life cycles and host species need more study are mentioned.

Literature cited

  • Alderman, D. J. & Jones, E. B. G., 1971. Shell disease of oysters. — Fishery Invest., Lond. (Ser. 2)26 1–19.

    Google Scholar 

  • Andrews, J. D., 1966. Oyster mortality studies in Virginia. V. Epizootiology of MSX, a protistan pathogen of oysters. — Ecology47 19–31.

    Google Scholar 

  • Andrews, J. D., 1968. Oyster mortality studies in Virginia. VII. Review of epizootiology and origin ofMinchinia nelsoni. — Proc. natn. Shellfish Ass.58 23–36.

    Google Scholar 

  • Andrews, J. D., 1979. Oyster diseases in Chesapeake Bay. — Mar. Fish. Rev.41 (1–2), 45–53.

    Google Scholar 

  • Andrews, J. D., 1980. A review of introductions of exotic oysters and biological planning for new importations. — Mar. Fish. Rev.42 (12), 1–11.

    Google Scholar 

  • Andrews, J. D., 1982. Epizootiology of late summer and fall infections of oysters byHaplosporidium nelsoni, and comparison to annual life cycle ofHaplosporidium costalis, a typical haplosporidan. — J. Shellfish Res.2 15–23.

    Google Scholar 

  • Andrews, J. D., 1983.Minchinia nelsoni. — Estuar. coast. Shelf Sci.16 255–269.

    Google Scholar 

  • Andrews, J. D. Epizootiology of haplosporidan diseases of oysters. — J. Invertebr. Pathol. (In press.)

  • Andrews, J. D. & Castagna, M., 1978. Epizootiology ofMinchinia costalis in susceptible oysters in Seaside bays of Virginia Eastern Shore, 1959–1976. — J. Invertebr. Pathol.32 124–138.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Andrews, J. D. & Frierman, M., 1974. Epizootiology ofMinchinia costalis in susceptible wild oysters in Virginia, 1959–1971. — J. Invertebr. Pathol.24 127–140.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Andrews, J. D. & Hewatt, W. G., 1957. Oyster mortality studies in Virginia. II. The fungus disease caused byDermocystidium marinum in oysters of Chesapeake Bay. — Ecol. Monogr.27 1–25.

    Google Scholar 

  • Andrews, J. D. & Wood, J. L., 1967. Oyster mortality studies in Virginia. VI. History and distribution ofMinchinia nelsoni, a pathogen of oysters in Virginia. — Chesapeake Sci.8 1–13.

    Google Scholar 

  • Andrews, J. D., Wood, J. L. & Hoese, H. D., 1962. Oyster mortality studies in Virginia. III. Epizootiology of a disease caused byHaplosporidium costale Wood & Andrews. — J. Insect. Pathol.4 327–343.

    Google Scholar 

  • Banning, P. van, 1977.Minchinia armoricana sp. nov. (Haplosporida), a parasite of the European flat oyster,Ostrea edulis. — J. Invertebr. Pathol.30 199–206.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barrow, J. H., Jr., 1965. Observations onMinchinia pickfordae (Barrow, 1961) found in snails of the Great Lakes region. — Trans. Am. microsc. Soc.84 587–593.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Becker, C. D. & Pauley, G. B., 1968. An ovarian parasite(Protista incertae sedis) from the Pacific oyster,Crassostrea gigas. — J. Invertebr. Pathol.12 425–437.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Caullery, M., 1953. Appendice aux sporozoaires. Classe des haplosporidies (Haplosporidia Caullery et Mesnil, 1899), In: Traité de zoologie. Ed. by P. P. Grassé. Masson, Paris1 (2), 922–934.

    Google Scholar 

  • Couch, J. A., Farley, C. A. & Rosenfield, A., 1966. Sporulation ofMinchinia nelsoni (Haplosporida, Haplosporididae) in the American oysterCrassostrea virginica. — Science, N. Y.153 1529–1531.

    Google Scholar 

  • DeTurk, W. E., 1940. The occurrence and development of a hyperparasiteUrosporidium crescens (Sporozoa, Haplosporidia) which infests the metacercariae ofSpelotrema nicolli, parasitic inCallinectes sapidus. — J. Elisha Mitchell scient. Soc.56 231–232.

    Google Scholar 

  • Engel, W. A. van, Dillon, W. A., Zwerner, D. & Eldridge, D., 1966.Loxothylacus panopaei (Cirripedia, Sacculinidae) an introduced parasite on a xanthid crab in Chesapeake Bay. — Crustaceana10 110–112.

    Google Scholar 

  • Farley, C. A., 1967. A proposed life cycle ofMinchinia nelsoni (Haplosporida, Haplosporididae) in the American oysterCrassostrea virginica. — J. Protozool.14 616–625.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Farley, C. A., 1975. Epizootic and enzootic aspects ofMinchinia nelsoni (Haplosporida) disease in Maryland oysters. — J. Protozool.22 418–427.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ford, S. E. & Haskin, H. H., 1982. History and epizootiology ofHaplosporidium nelsoni (MSX), an oyster pathogen in Delaware Bay, 1957–1980. — J. Invertebr. Pathol.40 118–141.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grizel, H., Comps, M., Cousserans, F., Bonami, J. R. & Vago, C., 1974. Etude d'un parasite de la glande digestive observé au cours de l'épizootie actuelle de l'huître plate. — C. r. hebd. Séanc. Acad. Sci., Paris279 783–84.

    Google Scholar 

  • Haskin, H. H. & Ford, S. E., 1979. Development of resistance toMinchinia nelsoni (MSX) mortality in laboratory-reared and native oyster stocks in Delaware. Bay. — Mar. Fish. Rev.41 (1–2), 54–63.

    Google Scholar 

  • Haskin, H. H. & Ford, S. E., 1982.Haplosporidium nelsoni on Delaware Bay seed oyster beds: a hostparasite relationship along a salinity gradient. — J. Invertebr. Pathol.40 388–405.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haskin, H. H., Stauber, L. A. & Mackin, J. A., 1966.Minchinia nelsoni n. sp. (Haplosporida, Haplosporidiidae): causative agent of the Delaware Bay oyster spizootic. — Science, N. Y.153 1414–1416.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hillman, R. E., Maciolek, N. J., Lahey, J. I. & Belmore, C. I., 1982. Effects of a haplosporidian parasite,Haplosporidium sp., on species of the molluscan woodborer Teredo in Barnegat Bay, New Jersey. — J. Invertebr. Pathol.40 307–319.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hopkins, S. H., 1957. Our present knowledge of the oyster parasiteBucephalus. — Proc. natn. Shellfish Ass.47 58–61.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lauckner, G., 1983. Diseases of Mollusca: Bivalvia. In: Diseases of marine animals. Ed. by O. Kinne. Biologische Anstalt Helgoland, Hamburg,2, 467–1038.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mackin, J. G., 1962. Oyster disease caused byDermocystidium marinum and other microorganisms in Louisiana. — Publs Inst. mar. Sci.7 132–229.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mackin, J. G. & Loesch, H., 1955. A haplosporidian hyperparasite of oysters. — Proc. natn. Shellfish Ass.45 182–183.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marchand, J., 1974. Présence de Minchinia sp. (Haplosporida, Haplosporidiidae) chez le xanthideRhithropanopeus harrisii (Gould) tridentatus (Maitland) dans le canal de Caen à la mer. — Revue Trav. Inst. Pêch. matri.38 209–213.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marteil, L., 1969. Données générales sur la maladie des branchies. — Revue Trav. Inst. Pêch. marit.33 145–150.

    Google Scholar 

  • Perkins, F. O., 1971. Sporulation in the trematode hyperparasite,Urosporidium crescens deTurk, 1940 (Haplosporida, Haplosporidae) — an electron microscope study. — J. Parasit.57 9–23.

    Google Scholar 

  • Perkins, F. O., 1975. Fine structure ofMinchinia sp. (Haplosporida) sporulation in the mud crabPanopeus herbstii. — Mar. Fish. Rev.37 (5–6), 46–60.

    Google Scholar 

  • Perkins, F. O., 1979. Cell structure of shellfish pathogens and hyperparasites in the genera Minchinia, Urosporidium, Haplosporidium, and Marteilia — taxonomic implications. — Mar. Fish. Rev.41, (1–2), 25–37.

    Google Scholar 

  • Perkins, F. O. & Banning, P. van, 1981. Surface ultrastructure of spores in three genera of Balanosporida, particularly inMinchinia armoricana van Banning, 1977 — the taxonomic significance of spore wall ornamentation in the Balanosporida. — J. Parasit.67 866–874.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ray, S. M., 1954. Biological studies ofDermocystidium marinum, a fungus parasite of oysters. Rice Inst. Pam., 114 pp. (Monograph in Biology. Spec. Issue)

  • Ryan, E. P., 1956. Observations on the life histories and the distribution of the Xanthidae (mud crabs) of Chesapeake Bay. — Am. Midl. Nat.56 138–162.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sindermann, C. J., 1976. Oyster mortalities and their control. — FAO Tech. Conf. Aquaculture, Kyoto, Japan, 25 pp.

  • Sprague, V., 1963.Minchinia louisiana n. sp. (Haplosporida, Haplosporidiidae) a parasite ofPanopeus herbstii. — J. Protozool.10 267–274.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sprague, V., 1964.Nosema dollfusi n. sp. (Microsporidia, Nosematidae) a hyperparasite ofBucephalus cuculus inCrassostrea virginica. — J. Protozool.11 381–385.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sprague, V., 1965. Observations onChytridiopsis mytilovum (Field) formerlyHaplosporidium mytilovum Field (Microsporida). — J. Protozool.12 385–389.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sprague, V., 1967. Identification and taxonomy of disease organisms. Natl. Resources Inst., Univ. Md., Chesapeake Biological Lab., Solomons, Md, Ref. 67–31 (Mimeogr.).

    Google Scholar 

  • Sprague, V., 1970. Some protozoan parasites and hyperparasites in marine bivalve molluscs. — Spec. Publ. Am. Fish. Soc.5 416–430.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sprague, V., 1971. Diseases of oysters. — A. Rev. Microbiol.25 211–230.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sprague, V., 1978. Comments on trends in research on parasitic diseases of shellfish and fish. — Mar. Fish. Rev.40 26–30.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sprague, V., 1979. Classification of the Haplosporidia. — Mar. Fish. Rev.41 (1–2), 40–44.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sprague, V. & Orr, P. E., 1955.Nematopsis ostrearum andN. prytherchi (Eugregarinia: Porosporidae) with special reference to the host-parasite relations. — J. Parasit.41 89–104.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tennent, D. H., 1909. An account of experiments for determining the complete life history ofGasterostomum gracilescens. — Science, N. Y.29 432–433.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wolf, P. H., 1972. Occurrence of a haplosporidan in Sidney rock oysters(Crassostrea commercialis) from Moreton Bay, Queensland, Aust. — J. Invertebr. Pathol.19 416–417.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wood, J. L. & Andrews, J. D., 1962.Haplosporidium costale (Sporozoa) associated with a disease of Virginia oysters. — Science, N. Y.136 710–711.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Virginia Institute of Marine Science, School of Marine Science, 23062, Gloucester Point, Virginia, USA

    J. D. Andrews

Authors
  1. J. D. Andrews
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Contribution No. 1147. Virginia Institute of Marine Science; Gloucester Point, Virginia 23062

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Andrews, J.D. Epizootiology of diseases of oysters(Crassostrea virginica), and parasites of associated organisms in eastern North America. Helgolander Meeresunters 37, 149–166 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01989300

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01989300

Keywords

Helgoland Marine Research

ISSN: 1438-3888

Contact us