Reiiihard and Biickeridge, 1950). Parasitiza- 

 tion of crabs by female entoniscids causes in- 

 ternal deformities, incliidinR reduction in size 

 of organs (Atkins, 1933; Reinhard, 1945) and 

 changes in the nervous system (Matsumoto, 

 1953). 



Copcpods are known as parasites of crab 

 eggs. Connolly (1929) described C ho uiospha era 

 canonnim from the egg masses of the Ameri- 

 can rock crabs, Cavcrr horcalis and C. irrora- 

 fiis. Johnson (1957) found the same species on 

 green crabs from the Maine coast. Gnanamuthu 

 (1954) described Chomofiphnera bidica from 

 gills and egg mas.ses of an Indian edible crab, 

 XcptiniKs saugiiiiioloitus. Copepod larvae were 

 found between the crab's gill lamellae, probably 

 feeding on tissue fluids; adults ajjparently suck 

 fluids from the crab eggs. Many other species 

 of copepods, particularly of the family Chonio- 

 stomatidae, are parasitic on Crustacea (Han- 

 sen, 1897, 1904, 1923). 



An extensive and fascinating body of litera- 

 ture on rhizoceph.dan, epicaridean, and other 

 crustacean parasites and hyperparasites of 

 Crustacea has accumulated (Giard and Bon- 

 nier, 1887, 1895; Smith, 1906; Shiino, 1942; 

 Veillet, 1945; Reinhard, 1944, 1956; Baer, 

 1951 ; Nicol, 1960). 



LOBSTERS 



Lobsters, because of their great economic im- 

 portance in North America and Europe, have 

 been subjects of many scientific studies, includ- 

 ing some concerned with diseases and parasites. 

 Because of the practice of holding lobsters in 

 pounds and live cars, occasionally for extended 

 periods and frequently under crowded condi- 

 tions, mortalities have been observed and 

 causes examined. Two bacterial diseases have 

 significant effects on impounded lobsters. 

 Among the known larger parasites are trema- 

 todes, nematodes, acanthocephalans, and anne- 

 lid worms. 



Microbial Diseases 



A bacterial disease, caused by gram-positive 

 tetrad-forming encapsulated cocci, described as 

 Gaffkya homari Hitchner and Snieszko, is 

 known from wild and impounded populations 

 of American lobsters, Hontants amerlcauus 

 Milne-Edwards. The disease (gaffkaemia) was 



first noted on the Maine coast in 1946 (Hitch- 

 ner and Snieszko, 1947; Snieszko and Taylor, 

 1947; (lelchell, 1919). "Red-tail" disea.se, as it 

 was originally called, is characterized by a vari- 

 able pink coloration of the ventral abdomen, 

 pink blood, prolonged clotting time, and drastic 

 reduction in blood phagocytes. Infected lobsters 

 become progressively weaker, and mortalities 

 may reach 50 percent after shoit periods of 

 storage. Mcn'talitics increa.se sharply if water 

 temperature exceeds 15 C. Moribund lobsters 

 move to shoal water and die in a "spread-eagle" 

 position. 



Goggins ,ind Hurst (I960)' have provided 

 information about two epizootics of gaffkaemia 

 along the entire Maine coast, one in 1946-47 

 and another in 1959-60, with losses as great as 

 58 percent of impounded populations. They 

 found that the [)ath()gen could live and multiply 

 outside the lobster, in the slime on lobster cars, 

 crates, tanks, and live wells. Gaffkya was also 

 isolated from mud of tidal pounds and from sea 

 water several miles from infected pounds. The 

 disease was transmitted directly by allowing 

 presumably healthy lobsters to feed on infected 

 individuals or by holding healthy lobsters in 

 sea water containing the pathogen. Incubation 

 time was 14 to 21 days, although the animals 

 possibly were already gaffkaemic before the 

 start of the experiments. Treatment of tidal 

 pounds with calcium hypochlorite reduced pop- 

 ulations of the pathogen in bottom mud and 

 reduced subsequent losses of impounded 

 lobsters. 



The disease organism is often present in wild 

 populations. Stewart and MacDonald (1962) 

 and Stewart, Cornick, Spears, and McLeese 

 (1966) isolated Guffkija from 96 of 2,035 re- 

 cently caught lobsters in Canada and found the 

 disease to be widespread in the Canadian At- 

 lantic region. Cornick and Stewart (1966) re- 

 covered, from presumptive tests for Gaffkya in 

 Canadiiin lobsters, .several other kinds of bac- 

 teria, including Micrococcus, Pseudomonas, 

 Aclnomobacter, and Brevibacterium — none of 

 which was considered to be pathogenic. Rabin 

 (1965) found a Gaffkya-Uke organism in lob- 



' Data provided in unpublished mimeogiaphed report of Depart- 

 ment of Sea and Shore Fisheries. AuKu.ita. Maine, "Progress report 

 on lobster Kaffkyaremia (Red Tail)," by P. L. floggins and J W. 

 Hurst, 1960. 



356 



U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE 



