Meeting Abstract

78.2  Friday, Jan. 7  Phylogenetic Analysis of Bicoastal Parasite Diversity in Three Brooding Bivalves LAKE, D.T.*; LEE, K.A.; RUIZ, G.M.; COHEN, C.S.; San Francisco State University; Univ. of California, Davis; Smithsonian Environmental Research Center; San Francisco State University david10lake@gmail.com

Although much attention has been given to biological invasions of free-living species, relatively few empirical studies have investigated potential introductions of parasitic species, which may be vital in biomass production and in shaping trophic interactions. An historical invasion of a benthic bivalve (Gemma gemma) from the Atlantic coast of America has been established in San Francisco Bay and other estuaries of California for over 100 years. Based on morphological identification, a trematode parasite (Parvatrema borealis) is observed in G. gemma from both the native and invasive ranges. In the invasive range, the same parasite is observed in two overlapping and morphologically similar species native to the Pacific (Nutricola spp.). We use phylogenetic analyses of nuclear and mitochondrial genes (ITS1 and CO1) to address: 1) if haplotypes are shared between the Atlantic and California estuaries, 2) if haplotypes are being shared between Gemma and Nutricola species, and 3) if Parvatrema borealis represents multiple morphologically cryptic species. Data (n[Atl]=53, n[Pac]=63) based on CO1 has yielded some preliminary results. 1) Trematode haplotypes are shared between Maine and California estuaries. 2) Trematode haplotypes are shared between G. gemma and Nutricola spp. 3) Parvatrema borealis represents seven genetically divergeant lineages that differ between 4.5% and 33.7%.