A novel viral infection in a Captive Colony of pelagic red crabs (Pleuroncodes planipes) from California

Elise E.B. LaDouceur; Michael Murray; Alexandria Argue; Arun K. Dhar

doi:10.1016/j.jip.2025.108268

A novel viral infection in a Captive Colony of pelagic red crabs (Pleuroncodes planipes) from California

Elise E.B. LaDouceur, Michael Murray, Alexandria Argue, Arun K. Dhar

Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Research

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Captive, pelagic red crabs (Pleuroncodes planipes) had shortened lifespans and cutaneous black spots. Histologically, epidermal and mesenchymal cells had 3–5 µm diameter intranuclear inclusions, necrosis, vacuolation, and/or hyperplasia. The remaining organs were histologically unremarkable. Ultrastructurally, nuclei contained rod-shaped, 70-100nmx250-350 nm virions with a double membrane. PCR on 32 animals was negative for WSSV, and suggestive of a novel virus. The genomic sequence of the virus could not be retrieved due to the low amount of DNA obtained from the paraffin embedded tissue. This is consistent with a novel viral infection, and is the first description of a viral disease in pelagic red crabs.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	108268
Journal	Journal of Invertebrate Pathology
Volume	209
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jip.2025.108268
State	Published - Mar 2025

Keywords

Crustacean
Histology
Polymerase chain reaction
Transmission electron microscopy

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics

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10.1016/j.jip.2025.108268

Cite this

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title = "A novel viral infection in a Captive Colony of pelagic red crabs (Pleuroncodes planipes) from California",

abstract = "Captive, pelagic red crabs (Pleuroncodes planipes) had shortened lifespans and cutaneous black spots. Histologically, epidermal and mesenchymal cells had 3–5 µm diameter intranuclear inclusions, necrosis, vacuolation, and/or hyperplasia. The remaining organs were histologically unremarkable. Ultrastructurally, nuclei contained rod-shaped, 70-100nmx250-350 nm virions with a double membrane. PCR on 32 animals was negative for WSSV, and suggestive of a novel virus. The genomic sequence of the virus could not be retrieved due to the low amount of DNA obtained from the paraffin embedded tissue. This is consistent with a novel viral infection, and is the first description of a viral disease in pelagic red crabs.",

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AU - LaDouceur, Elise E.B.

AU - Murray, Michael

AU - Argue, Alexandria

AU - Dhar, Arun K.

PY - 2025/3

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AB - Captive, pelagic red crabs (Pleuroncodes planipes) had shortened lifespans and cutaneous black spots. Histologically, epidermal and mesenchymal cells had 3–5 µm diameter intranuclear inclusions, necrosis, vacuolation, and/or hyperplasia. The remaining organs were histologically unremarkable. Ultrastructurally, nuclei contained rod-shaped, 70-100nmx250-350 nm virions with a double membrane. PCR on 32 animals was negative for WSSV, and suggestive of a novel virus. The genomic sequence of the virus could not be retrieved due to the low amount of DNA obtained from the paraffin embedded tissue. This is consistent with a novel viral infection, and is the first description of a viral disease in pelagic red crabs.

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KW - Polymerase chain reaction

KW - Transmission electron microscopy

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A novel viral infection in a Captive Colony of pelagic red crabs (Pleuroncodes planipes) from California

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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