Hematodinium
Encyclopedia
Hematodinium is a genus of dinoflagellate
s. Species in this genus, such as Hematodinium perezi
, the type species
, are internal parasites
of the hemolymph
of crustacean
s such as the Atlantic blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) and Norway lobster
(Nephrops norvegicus). Species in the genus are economically damaging to commercial crab fisheries, including causing bitter crab disease in the large Tanner
or snow crab fisheries of the Bering Sea
.
Dinoflagellate
The dinoflagellates are a large group of flagellate protists. Most are marine plankton, but they are common in fresh water habitats as well. Their populations are distributed depending on temperature, salinity, or depth...
s. Species in this genus, such as Hematodinium perezi
Hematodinium perezi
Hematodinium perezi is an internal dinoflagellate parasite that infects blue crabs and causes bitter crab disease. H. perezi is the type species of the genus Hematodinium....
, the type species
Type species
In biological nomenclature, a type species is both a concept and a practical system which is used in the classification and nomenclature of animals and plants. The value of a "type species" lies in the fact that it makes clear what is meant by a particular genus name. A type species is the species...
, are internal parasites
Parasitism
Parasitism is a type of symbiotic relationship between organisms of different species where one organism, the parasite, benefits at the expense of the other, the host. Traditionally parasite referred to organisms with lifestages that needed more than one host . These are now called macroparasites...
of the hemolymph
Hemolymph
Hemolymph, or haemolymph, is a fluid in the circulatory system of some arthropods and is analogous to the fluids and cells making up both blood and interstitial fluid in vertebrates such as birds and mammals...
of crustacean
Crustacean
Crustaceans form a very large group of arthropods, usually treated as a subphylum, which includes such familiar animals as crabs, lobsters, crayfish, shrimp, krill and barnacles. The 50,000 described species range in size from Stygotantulus stocki at , to the Japanese spider crab with a leg span...
s such as the Atlantic blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) and Norway lobster
Norway lobster
Nephrops norvegicus, known variously as the Norway lobster, Dublin Bay prawn, or scampi, is a slim, orange-pink lobster which grows up to long, and is "the most important commercial crustacean in Europe"...
(Nephrops norvegicus). Species in the genus are economically damaging to commercial crab fisheries, including causing bitter crab disease in the large Tanner
Chionoecetes bairdi
Chionoecetes bairdi is a species of crab known alternatively as bairdi crab and tanner crab. C. bairdi is closely related to Chionoecetes opilio, and it can be difficult to distinguish C. opilio from C. bairdi. Both species are found in the Bering Sea and are sold commercially under the name "Snow...
or snow crab fisheries of the Bering Sea
Bering Sea
The Bering Sea is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean. It comprises a deep water basin, which then rises through a narrow slope into the shallower water above the continental shelves....
.