Líffræðifélag Íslands - biologia.is
Líffræðiráðstefnan 2023
Höfundar / Authors: Andrea Higueruelo (1), Sara Dallarès (1), Maria Constenla (1), Anna Soler-Membrives (1) and Bjoern C. Schaeffner (2)
Starfsvettvangur / Affiliations: 1. Department of animal biology, plant biology and ecology, Autonomous University of Barcelona 2. Institute for Experimental Pathology Keldur, University of Iceland
Kynnir / Presenter: Andrea Higueruelo
Members of the families Scyliorhinidae and Pentanchidae are also known as catsharks. Among them, in the Mediterranean Sea, the most common are the small-spotted catshark (Scyliorhinus canicula) and the blackmouth catshark (Galeus melastomus). Their parasite fauna has been fairly well studied and currently comprises more than 50 species citations. On the contrary, studies on the parasites of catsharks from the northern Atlantic are scarce, and thus a predominant portion of their biodiversity (particularly endoparasitic helminths) might be neglected. For instance, from three of the most common catsharks in Icelandic waters (Galeus murinus, Apristurus laurussonii and A. aphyodes) only two parasites have been cited.
Parasites play a significant role in determining the structure of communities and ecosystems through their interactions with hosts, influencing their behaviour and fitness and ultimately regulating their populations. In addition, they constitute a substantial portion of the world's biodiversity. In an ongoing study on the characterization of the parasite fauna of Icelandic catsharks, we expect to reveal new insights into the marine parasite biodiversity and host-parasite interactions of this particular region and into the biology and ecology of their yet poorly known hosts. In addition, transnational research collaborations will allow a comparative study between catshark parasitology from the North Atlantic and the North-Western Mediterranean Sea.