Invasion
Invasion Description
1st Record: NC/Neuse River (1974, Turquier and Payen 1978, R. h., E. d.)
Geographic Extent
NC/Neuse River (1974, Turquier and Payen 1978; Hines et al. 1997, E. d.); NC/Bogue Sound (Turquier and Payen 1978; Hines et al. 1997, E. d.); Pawleys Island/SC/Clambank Creek (O'Shaughnanessy et al. 2014, 33°20.07´N, 79°11.52´W); GA/Savannah River (2004, Kruse and Hare 2007, E. d.); Sapelo/GA/Sapelo Sound (2004, Kruse and Hare 2007, E. d.); Brunswick/GA (2004, Kruse and Hare 2007, E. d.); St. Mary/FL (2004, Kruse and Hare 2007, E. d.); Jacksonville/FL/St. Johns River estuary (2005, Kruse and Hare 2007, E. d.); FL/Camachee Cove Harbor (2005, Kruse and Hare 2007, E. d.); FL/San Sebastian River (2005, Kruse and Hare 2007, E. d.); Whitney Lab/FL (2005, Kruse and Hare 2007, E. d.); Guana-Tomalato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve/FL/Matanzas River Estuary (2004-2012, Eash-Loucks et al. 2014, on E. d.); FL/Halifax Creek (2005, Kruse and Hare 2007, E. d.)
Vectors
| Level | Vector |
|---|---|
| Alternate | Oyster Accidental |
| Alternate | Hull Fouling |
Regional Impacts
| Ecological Impact | Parasitism | |
| In southeast US estuaries, Loxothylacus panopaei is an abundant parasite of three species of panopeid crabs: Dyspanopeus sayi (Say's Mud Crab), Eurypanopeus depressus (Flatback Mud Crab), and Rhithropanopeus harrisii (Harris mud crab). As of 1983-86, its prevalence was greater on the last two species (Hines et al. 1997). Parasitism- The effects of L. panopaei on individual crabs are complex and diverse. The major impact is that both male and female infected crabs are castrated and unable to reproduce (Gissler 1884; Barnes 1983; Gould 1996), so that all of the host's feeding activity serves to support reproduction of the parasite. In order to maintain itself on a crab, L. panopaei extensively modifies the host's physiology and behavior. Details of the mechanisms are given in the "General Impacts" summary for this species. In the Neuse River, North Carolina, six parasitized crabs (Rhithropanopaeus harrisii) were found in 1974 and 'dozens' were found in 1976, but only one parasitized E. depressus (Turquier and Payen 1978). No parasitized crabs were found in April 1986 (Hines et al. 1997), but L. panopaei was abundant in 1993 among R. harrisii, 22% of sampled crabs were parasitized. In Bogue Sound, North Carolina, Loxothylacus panopaei was discovered and found to be abundant in 1983; 47.4% of sampled Eurypanopeus depressus were found to be parasitized (Hines et al. 1997). The feeding rates of Eurypanopeus depressus on Brachidontes exustus), in North Inlet SC, were grealty reduced by infection with L. panopei. The crabs' handling time was not affected, but their overall activity level, including the frequency of feeding was reduced (Toscano et al. 2014; O’Shaughnessy et al. 2014). In the Matanzas River estuary (FL), after the 1st appearance of the parasite in 2004, the abundance of Eurypanopeus depressus was greatly reduced, at least through 2012 (Eash-Loucks et al. 2014). | ||