Article
Zoology
Shijie Bai, Peijun Zhang, Mingli Lin, Wenzhi Lin, Zixin Yang, Songhai Li
Summary: This study investigated the diversity and composition of microbial communities in the gut of two short-finned pilot whales and one pygmy sperm whale using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing technology. The results showed differences in gut microbial communities among the whales, with each whale having a unique composition dominated by different bacterial phyla. This study provides insight into the gut microbiome of cetaceans and highlights the importance of understanding microbial diversity and composition in the gastrointestinal tract.
INTEGRATIVE ZOOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Gabriela Hernandez-Mora, Rocio Gonzalez-Barrientos, Eunice Viquez-Ruiz, Jose David Palacios-Alfaro, Gianmarco Bettoni-Rodriguez, Marlene Gendre, Charline Vincent, Karol Roca-Monge, Nazareth Ruiz-Villalobos, Marcela Suarez-Esquivel, Minor Cordero-Chavarria, Esteban Chaves-Olarte, Nicholas R. Thomson, Elias Barquero-Calvo, Edgardo Moreno, Caterina Guzman-Verri
Summary: A dwarf sperm whale stranded alive along the Central Pacific Coast of Costa Rica showed severe necrotizing placentitis and was found to have antibodies against Brucella lipopolysaccharide. Brucella organisms were isolated from various tissues of both the mother and the fetus, with the bacterium corresponding to sequence-type 27 (ST27) and clustering with other ST27 isolated in humans and cetaceans.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Biology
Chloe E. Malinka, Pernille Tonnesen, Charlotte A. Dunn, Diane E. Claridge, Tess Gridley, Simon H. Elwen, Peter Teglberg Madsen
Summary: Dwarf sperm whales use high-frequency echolocation clicks to hunt in the deep sea, with longer inter-click intervals and moderate source levels compared to other species. This adaptation allows them to detect prey in the mesopelagic zone efficiently.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Fabio P. Sellera, Brenda Cardoso, Danny Fuentes-Castillo, Fernanda Esposito, Elder Sano, Herrison Fontana, Bruna Fuga, Daphne W. Goldberg, Lourdes A. V. Seabra, Marzia Antonelli, Sandro Sandri, Cristiane K. M. Kolesnikovas, Nilton Lincopan
Summary: A carbapenem-resistant NDM-1-positive Escherichia coli isolate was recovered from a stranded pygmy sperm whale in Brazil. The isolate carried multiple antimicrobial resistance genes, as well as genes associated with heavy metal and biocide resistance. It exhibited halotolerance and virulent behavior, and was closely related to poultry- and human-associated lineages circulating in Europe and Asia. The presence of carbapenemase-producing pathogens in coastal water poses an emerging threat that requires urgent assessment of the role of the aquatic environment in their global epidemiology.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Jean-Baptiste Juhel, Virginie Marques, Andrea Polanco Fernandez, Giomar H. Borrero-Perez, Maria Mutis Martinezguerra, Alice Valentini, Tony Dejean, Stephanie Manel, Nicolas Loiseau, Laure Velez, Regis Hocde, Tom B. Letessier, Eilish Richards, Florine Hadjadj, Sandra Bessudo, Felipe Ladino, Camille Albouy, David Mouillot, Loic Pellissier
Summary: Monitoring rare large marine mammals is challenging, but using environmental DNA technology can increase our understanding of their distribution, even in regions that are generally well sampled for other taxa.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Tiffany F. Keenan, William A. McLellan, Sentiel A. Rommel, Alexander M. Costidis, Craig A. Harms, 'Hans' J. G. M. Thewissen, David S. Rotstein, Mark D. Gay, Charles W. Potter, Alison R. Taylor, Ying Wang, D. Ann Pabst
Summary: The study offers a detailed description of the cervical gill slit gland in K. breviceps, highlighting differences between immature and mature individuals. It shows that mature individuals display larger gland size and increased functional activity in glandular tissues, resembling specialized exocrine glands found in terrestrial mammals.
ANATOMICAL RECORD-ADVANCES IN INTEGRATIVE ANATOMY AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Zoology
Jasha Dehm, Rufino Varea, Chinthaka Anushka Hewavitharane, Brian Stockwell, Kelly Thomas Brown
Summary: On July 18, 2020, a small whale was found stranded on the eastern shore of Viti Levu, Fiji. Despite efforts to refloat and guide it back to sea, the whale died two days later. Morphometric measurements and photo identification confirmed it as an adult male pygmy sperm whale, marking the species' first confirmed record in Fiji.
AUSTRALIAN MAMMALOGY
(2022)
Article
Parasitology
Raul Henrique da Silva Pinheiro, Andrea Magalhaes Bezerra, Elane Guerreiro Giese
Summary: This paper presents new morphological, morphometric, and scanning electron microscopy data of a nematode belonging to the family Anisakidae, recovered from a specimen of Kogia sima. The morphological features and specificity to the definitive host demonstrate similarity to Skrjabinisakis paggiae. This research records the occurrence of Kogia sima and S. paggiae on the estuarine coast of Para in northern Brazil.
REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE PARASITOLOGIA VETERINARIA
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Oriol Sacristan-Soriano, Marina Winkler, Patrick Erwin, Jeremy Weisz, Olivia Harriott, Gary Heussler, Emily Bauer, Brittany West Marsden, April Hill, Malcolm Hill
ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS
(2019)
Article
Microbiology
Ilia Burgsdorf, Kim M. Handley, Rinat Bar-Shalom, Patrick M. Erwin, Laura Steindler
Article
Microbiology
Shelby E. Gantt, Steven E. McMurray, Amber D. Stubler, Christopher M. Finelli, Joseph R. Pawlik, Patrick M. Erwin
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Mirielle Lopez-Guzman, Patrick M. Erwin, Euichi Hirose, Susanna Lopez-Legentil
SYSTEMATICS AND BIODIVERSITY
(2020)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Elizabeth R. Denison, Ryan G. Rhodes, William A. McLellan, D. Ann Pabst, Patrick M. Erwin
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2020)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
James S. Evans, Patrick M. Erwin, Hendra F. Sihaloho, Susanna Lopez-Legentil
Summary: This study analyzed color morphs, genetic lineages, and symbiotic microbial communities of the colonial ascidian D. bermudensis, finding that two distinct genetic lineages corresponded to unique color morphs and microbial communities, indicating that two different species coexist under the same scientific name. The study highlights the utility of symbiont profiling in resolving the taxonomic status of phenotypically variable ascidian species.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
James S. Evans, Susanna Lopez-Legentil, Joseph R. Pawlik, Isobel G. Turnbull, Patrick M. Erwin
Summary: The study found that genetic variations within X. muta at the population level are significantly associated with ecological functions, and further biological difference studies of X. muta are necessary.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Olivia T. Streit, Gretchen Lambert, Patrick M. Erwin, Susanna Lopez-Legentil
Summary: Ascidians are an ideal taxon for studying invasion processes, requiring anthropogenic introduction vectors for long-distance dispersal. A survey of 11 harbors around Puerto Rico in March 2019 identified 47 ascidian species, including introduced, cryptogenic, and native species. Ascidian community structure did not vary significantly across geographic locations, but marina size had a significant impact on species richness and composition.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Joseph R. Pawlik, Denise C. Manker, James S. Evans, Patrick M. Erwin, Susanna Lopez-Legentil
Summary: Giant barrel sponges, belonging to a cryptic species complex, exhibit variations in morphology on tropical reefs worldwide, with sponges off the southwest coast of Barbados showing unique clam and tub shapes. Haplotype identification did not reveal genetic differentiation between these morphotypes, leaving the underlying cause of this morphological variation unexplained.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Susanna Lopez-Legentil, Satheesh Kumar Palanisamy, Kirsty F. Smith, Grace McCormack, Patrick M. Erwin
Summary: Ascidians, or sea squirts, are among the marine species with the highest number of introduced species globally. This study sequenced a fragment of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene to investigate symbiont diversity and host specificity in different species of ascidians. The results showed that the composition of prokaryotic symbionts was strongly influenced by both host species and location. Additionally, location had a greater impact on inter-specific differences compared to intra-specific differences. Further research is needed to understand the coevolutionary patterns between hosts and microbes and the role of microbes in facilitating host establishment in different habitats.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Brenna Hutchings, Emma Stiles, Patrick M. Erwin, Susanna Lopez-Legentil
Summary: This study investigated the impact of hurricanes on ascidian diversity and abundance in harbors and marinas along the coast of North Carolina. The results showed that hurricanes significantly affected the composition of ascidian communities, particularly native species. Additionally, two globally introduced species were found in North Carolina's harbors. This study provides important insights into the effects of hurricanes on harbor marine organisms and their natural recovery.
BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Shelby E. Gantt, Patrick M. Erwin
Summary: Sponges play important roles in coral reef ecosystems and have increasing density on Caribbean coral reefs. This study investigated the impact of spatial competition on the microbiomes of three common Caribbean sponges. The results showed significant differences in microbial community structure and diversity among sponge species, but no significant effects were observed within sponge species, indicating that direct contact during spatial competition does not disrupt the microbiome. This suggests that allelopathic interactions and competitive outcomes are not mediated by microbiome damage.
Article
Microbiology
Alyssa R. B. Olmstead, Olivia L. Mathieson, William A. McLellan, D. Ann Pabst, Tiffany F. Keenan, Tracey Goldstein, Patrick M. Erwin
Summary: The gut microbiomes play a crucial role in animal health, even extending to ecosystem-level importance in marine mammals. However, little is known about the impact of gut bacterial communities on disease susceptibility and progression in cetacean populations. In this study, the bacterial communities in fecal samples of common bottlenose dolphins during a mortality event caused by dolphin Morbillivirus were characterized. The results showed that while acute DMV infection did not have a distinct effect on the gut bacterial community of T. truncatus, changes in community composition were observed between the early and late outbreak periods, suggesting the potential amplification of gut community disruptions by accumulating health burdens associated with chronic morbidity.
FEMS MICROBIOLOGY ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Millie Goddard-Dwyer, Susanna Lopez-Legentil, Patrick M. Erwin
Summary: Ascidians are fast-spreading invasive species with dynamic microbiomes that show reduced diversity and distinct compositions in new environments. The lower host haplotype diversity in invasive ranges suggests founder effects, while shifts in microbial community structure are driven by novel bacteria with potential roles in nitrogen cycling. The observed flexibility and putative functionality of the ascidian microbiome may play an underappreciated role in the successful establishment of nonnative species worldwide.
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
James S. Evans, Patrick M. Erwin, Noa Shenkar, Susanna Lopez-Legentil
FEMS MICROBIOLOGY ECOLOGY
(2018)