Actinodinium apsteini

Super Group: 
Alveolata
Phylum: 
Dinophyta
Class: 
Dinophyceae
Genus: 
Actinodinium
Species: 
apsteini
Authority: 
Chatton & Hovasse 1938

Diagnosis

Diagnosis_Genus: Actinodinium Chatton & Hovasse 1937. Parasite extended (and surrounded) by spikes (rays) which are expansion of the cytoplasm and formed cuticle. This parasite develops in the wall of the stomach, without penetration inside the intestine, but can penetrate the nervous system and the digestive gland. The parasite may be surrounded by several cuticles. The nucleus is central, without condensed chromosomes during the trophont stage. At the end of the trophont maturation, one spike (ray) perforates the intestine membrane, and the parasite flows into the intestine, leaving the external membrane of the parasite inside the host. Sporogenesis and spores not observed.
Diagnosis_Species: Actinodinium apsteini Chatton & Hovasse 1937. Parasite of Acartia clausi, located in the anterior dorsal region of the cephalothoracique cavity, generally in contact of the digestive tube. Infections are not lethal for its host, the parasite does not castrate its host. Sporogenesis and spores not observed.

Body_trophont_length: 40-125 µm

Etymology

apsteini: in honor of Pr Apstein, who first described this species.

Type species

This is the type species of the genus.

Type illustration / Type locality / Type specimen

Type locality: Roscoff (France)
Type host: Acartia clausi

Ecology

Substrate: endozoic
Sociability_trophont: solitary
Salinity: marine

Life cycle

Generation: <1 month
Reproduction_mode: asexual
Symbiont: horizontal

Feeding behaviour

Osmotrophy
Parasitism

Observation site(s)

HOSTS

Displaying 1 - 2 of 2
Association with... Region origin Name of site In reference...
Acartia clausi
Calanus finmarchicus Kattegat
Apstein ? (1911) Parasiten von Calanus finmarchicus. Wiss. Meers. Unters. Abt. Kiel, Neue Folg. XIII:207-223.