Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) is a suitable host for Gyrodactylus salaris

Norway) and resident Arctic charr from Lake Pålsbufjorden (southern Norway) were identified as G. salaris using mol-ecular markers and morphometrics. The infection in Pålsbufjorden represents the first record of a viable G. salaris population infecting a host in the wild in the absence of salmon (...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: G. Robertsen, H. Hansen, L. Bachmann, T. A. Bakke
Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
Format: Text
Language:English
Published: 2007
Subjects:
Key words
Arctic charr
Atlantic salmon
Gyrodactylus salaris
host-switch
molecular markers
morphometry
Arctic
Norway
Salmo salar
Salvelinus alpinus
Online Access:http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.625.5972
http://folk.uio.no/bachmann/Publications/Robertsen et al - Parasitology 2007.pdf
Description
Summary:Norway) and resident Arctic charr from Lake Pålsbufjorden (southern Norway) were identified as G. salaris using mol-ecular markers and morphometrics. The infection in Pålsbufjorden represents the first record of a viable G. salaris population infecting a host in the wild in the absence of salmon (Salmo salar). G. salaris on charr from Signaldalselva and Pålsbufjorden bear different mitochondrial haplotypes. While parasites infecting charr in Signaldalselva carry the same mitochondrial haplotype as parasites from sympatric Atlantic salmon, G. salaris from charr in Pålsbufjorden bear a haplotype that has previously been found in parasites infecting rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and Atlantic salmon, and an IGS repeat arrangement that is very similar to those observed earlier in parasites infecting rainbow trout. Accordingly, the infection may result from 2 subsequent host-switches (from salmon via rainbow trout to charr). Morphometric analyses revealed significant differences between G. salaris infecting charr in the 2 localities, and between those on sympatric charr and salmonwithin Signaldalselva. These differences may reflect adaptations to a new host species, different environmental conditions, and/or inherited differences between theG. salaris strains. The discovery ofG. salaris on populations of both anadromous and resident charrmay have severe implications for Atlantic salmon stock-management as charr may represent a reservoir for infection of salmon.

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