TY - JOUR

T1 - Rhizocephalans and their potential impact on crustacean aquaculture

AU - Waiho, Khor

AU - Glenner, Henrik

AU - Miroliubov, Aleksei

AU - Noever, Christoph

AU - Hassan, Marina

AU - Ikhwanuddin, Mhd

AU - Fazhan, Hanafiah

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2020 Elsevier B.V.

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - Crustaceans play essential roles as food sources for global coastal communities, and their fisheries and aquaculture support the economic growth of many coastal countries. Thus, the understanding of diseases in crustaceans, especially those with high economic values, are important for their cure and prevention. Among other parasites that parasitise crustaceans, parasitic barnacles (Rhizocephala) are considered the most intriguing, both in terms of their unique life cycle and the detrimental changes they induced upon their hosts such as host sterilisation, moult inhibition (anecdysis), growth reduction, feminisation of male individuals, and behaviour alteration. In addition to discussing in detail the morphological, physiological and behavioural changes caused by rhizocephalan infestations, this review also shows that rhizocephalans are found in most economically important crustacean species around the world. Based on their reported adverse effects on their hosts, their potential implications on various aspects of crustacean aquaculture including broodstock selection, culture and fattening, soft-shell crab production and breeding programs are discussed. Although treatment or cure for rhizocephalan infestation has yet to be found, several recommendations are provided to enable accurate identification and handling of infected hosts and exposed aquaculture facilities in order to minimize losses and prevent parasite outbreaks.

AB - Crustaceans play essential roles as food sources for global coastal communities, and their fisheries and aquaculture support the economic growth of many coastal countries. Thus, the understanding of diseases in crustaceans, especially those with high economic values, are important for their cure and prevention. Among other parasites that parasitise crustaceans, parasitic barnacles (Rhizocephala) are considered the most intriguing, both in terms of their unique life cycle and the detrimental changes they induced upon their hosts such as host sterilisation, moult inhibition (anecdysis), growth reduction, feminisation of male individuals, and behaviour alteration. In addition to discussing in detail the morphological, physiological and behavioural changes caused by rhizocephalan infestations, this review also shows that rhizocephalans are found in most economically important crustacean species around the world. Based on their reported adverse effects on their hosts, their potential implications on various aspects of crustacean aquaculture including broodstock selection, culture and fattening, soft-shell crab production and breeding programs are discussed. Although treatment or cure for rhizocephalan infestation has yet to be found, several recommendations are provided to enable accurate identification and handling of infected hosts and exposed aquaculture facilities in order to minimize losses and prevent parasite outbreaks.

KW - Anecdysis

KW - Crustacean aquaculture

KW - Feminization

KW - Parasite

KW - Parasitic barnacles

KW - Rhizocephalan

U2 - 10.1016/j.aquaculture.2020.735876

DO - 10.1016/j.aquaculture.2020.735876

M3 - Review

AN - SCOPUS:85089837809

VL - 531

JO - Aquaculture

JF - Aquaculture

SN - 0044-8486

M1 - 735876

ER -