Sympatric three-species infection by Sacculina parasites (Cirripedia: Rhizocephala: Sacculinidae) of an intertidal grapsoid crab

Abstract

Parasitization by sacculinids (Cirripedia: Rhizocephala: Sacculinidae) induces severe modifications in morphology, behavior, and reproduction of their host crabs. To understand the mechanisms involved, it is important to have comprehensive information on their association. However, such information has been poorly available, mainly because of scarcity of distinguishing characters of sacculinids hamper identification of them. In the course of the investigation of the associations using the molecular marker (COI gene) and morphological observation to identify sacculinids, three species of Sacculina, S. confragosa, S. imberbis, and S. yatsui, were found to parasitize a single host crab, Pachygrapsus crassipes, sympatrically in a restricted area. This is the first finding for three-on-one association in a single locality.