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Within the huge realm of gastropods, there exists a bunch typically overshadowed and generally even ignored: the parasites. These creatures, which I’ve enthusiastically delved into in my earlier analysis, belong to the Ptenoglossa, a bunch initially categorized by Grey in 1853.. The Ptenoglossa encompasses households like Cerithiopsidae, Triphoridae, Janthinidae, Epitoniidae, Aclidae, and the Eulimida, every characterised by distinctive traits, notably their distinctive radulae or specialised enamel.
Amongst these households, the Eulimids stand out for his or her extremely specialised nature, completely thriving as ectoparasites on echinoderms. Most intriguingly, they type a everlasting bond with a single host, though sure species would possibly change hosts throughout their lifespan. But, some have advanced exceptional morphological diversifications, together with anatomical reductions, to turn into endoparasites, notably inside sea cucumbers’ inside realms. In the event you catch my drift. Notably, their shell morphology varies considerably, with males usually smaller than females because of the calls for of their parasitic life-style.
Conversely, Epitoniids, whereas typically thought of ectoparasites, exhibit various levels of commensalism and predation as effectively. They completely parasitize cnidarians, resembling anemones and corals, dwelling within the sediment close to their hosts. These artful creatures make use of modified radulae and jaws to nip items off their hosts. In the meantime, the host specificity of aclids stays a murky space inside the group.
Including to this parasitic saga, Cerithiopsidae and Triphoridae feed on sponges, adopting behaviors that might be construed as parasitic. In the meantime, the Janthinidae, aptly nicknamed violet snails, act as parasites on numerous pelagic cnidarians, together with the Portuguese Man-‘O-Struggle, Porpita, and Velella.
The world of parasitic gastropods is an enchanting, advanced net of interactions, the place these seemingly inconspicuous creatures have advanced exceptional methods to thrive inside their host ecosystems. Understanding their diversifications not solely sheds gentle on their evolutionary paths but additionally unveils the intricate connections within the various tapestry of marine life.
Photographs from:
Dgebuadze, Polina Yu, Yury V. Deart, and Do Huu Quyet. “First file of eulimids on brittle stars from Spratly Islands.” Symbiosis 81.2 (2020): 201-205.
González-Vallejo, Norma Emilia, and Stephanie Amador-Carrillo. “Evaluation of Megadenus holothuricola Rosén, 1910 (Eulimidae), an endoparasite of Holothuria mexicana Ludwig, 1875 (Holothuriidae) within the southern Gulf of Mexico and the outline a brand new species.” ZooKeys 1016 (2021): 49.
Takano, Tsuyoshi, Hirofumi Kubo, and Masami Obuchi. “New data of associations between ectoparasitic snails of the genus Mucronalia (Caenogastropoda: Eulimidae) and their ophiuroid hosts from Japan and New Caledonia, with description of a brand new species.” Plankton and Benthos Analysis 17.3 (2022): 255-262.
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