title: In vitro cultivation of Hematodinium sp. isolated from Atlantic snow crab, Chionoecetes opilio: partial characterization of late developmental stages.
abstract: Hematodinium is a parasitic dinoflagellate of numerous crustacean species, including the economically important Atlantic snow crab, Chionoecetes opilio. The parasite was cultured in vitro in modified Nephrops medium at 0 °C and a partial characterization of the life stages was accomplished using light and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In haemolymph from heavily infected snow crabs two life stages were detected; amoeboid trophonts and sporonts. During in vitro cultivation, several Hematodinium sp. life stages were observed: trophonts, clump colonies, sporonts, arachnoid sporonts, sporoblasts and dinospores. Cultures initiated with sporonts progressed to motile dinospores; however, those initiated with amoeboid trophonts proliferated, but did not progress or formed schizont-like stages which were senescent artefacts. Plasmodial stages were associated with both trophonts and sporonts and could be differentiated by the presence of trichocysts on TEM. Macrodinospores were observed but not microdinospores; likely due to the low number of Hematodinium sp. cultures that progressed to the dinospore stage. No early life stages including motile filamentous trophonts or gorgonlocks were observed as previously noted in Hematodinium spp. from other crustacean hosts. All Hematodinium sp. life stages contained autofluorescent, membrane-bound electron dense granules that appeared to degranulate or be expelled from the cell during in vitro cultivation.
authors.affiliation: AVC Lobster Science Centre, Atlantic Veterinary College,University of Prince Edward Island,550 University Avenue, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island C1A 4P3,Canada.
authors.forename: Peter H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Gaudet
authors.affiliation: AVC Lobster Science Centre, Atlantic Veterinary College,University of Prince Edward Island,550 University Avenue, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island C1A 4P3,Canada.
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Cawthorn
authors.affiliation: AVC Lobster Science Centre, Atlantic Veterinary College,University of Prince Edward Island,550 University Avenue, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island C1A 4P3,Canada.
authors.forename: Melanie A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Buote
authors.affiliation: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,National Marine Fisheries Service, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, Resource Assessment and Conservation Engineering Division, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, Washington 98115,USA.
authors.forename: J Frank
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Morado
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Atlantic Veterinary College,University of Prince Edward Island,550 University Avenue, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island C1A 4P3,Canada.
authors.forename: Glenda M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.affiliation: AVC Lobster Science Centre, Atlantic Veterinary College,University of Prince Edward Island,550 University Avenue, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island C1A 4P3,Canada.
authors.forename: Spencer J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Greenwood
mesh_terms: D056893:Alveolata / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000818:Animals; D003386:Brachyura / Q000469:parasitology*; D003470:Culture Media; D006458:Hemolymph / Q000469:parasitology; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D052939:Schizonts / Q000648:ultrastructure; D033761:Spores, Protozoan / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media
keywords: crustacean