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Bacterial ectosymbionts colonizing gills of two Caribbean mangrove crabs

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Abstract

We describe here the interactions between bacterial ectosymbionts and two Caribbean mangrove crabs: Aratus pisonii (Sesarmidae) and Minuca rapax (Ocypodidae). Specimens of A. pisonii and M. rapax were collected in Guadeloupe from mangrove trees (Rhizophora mangle) and from the mangrove mud, respectively. Ectosymbionts colonizing gills in all host individuals were observed using scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM). No intracellular bacteria were observed in gills cells suggesting that the biofilm only occurs on the surface of the gills. For A. pisonii and M. rapax, four different bacterial morphotypes were distributed throughout the surface of gill lamellae. Different sizes and lengths were observed in the bacterial population colonizing A. pisonii and M. rapax. Either symbionts cover the entire surface of the gills, or they formed irregularly distributed patches. Molecular analyses (high-throughput amplicon sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA-encoding genes) confirmed the occurrence of multiple bacterial taxonomic units, with dominance of Alphaproteobacteria and Bacteroidetes in both host species. However, dominant bacterial phylotypes were not shared between A. pisonii and M. rapax. This suggests that each species of these semiterrestrial crabs may harbor a specific and distinct bacterial community despite living in the same mangroves. The discussion compares the bacterial compositions of the two species and their potential functions are hypothesized. Further investigations are needed to confirm the specificity and nature of the symbiosis, including potential exchanges occurring between the partners.

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Availability of data and material

All data are available on GenBank NCBI.

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Funding

N. Beziat was supported by a grant from “Conseil Régional de la Guadeloupe” and by Caribaea Initiative. We acknowledge the financial support of the CNRS MITI X-Life 2018–2019 program (CABMAN project) for the sequencing.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHE, Université des Antilles, Campus de Fouillole, 97110, Pointe-à-Pitre, France

    Naëma S. Béziat, Catherine Azede & Olivier Gros

  2. Caribaea Initiative, Université des Antilles, Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe

    Naëma S. Béziat

  3. Molécules de Communication et Adaptation des Microorganismes (MCAM), UMR 7245 CNRS, Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, 57 rue Cuvier (CP54), 75005, Paris, France

    Sébastien Duperron & Sébastien Halary

  4. C3MAG, UFR des Sciences Exactes et Naturelles, Université des Antilles, BP 592 - 97159, Pointe-à-Pitre, France

    Olivier Gros

Authors
  1. Naëma S. Béziat
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  2. Sébastien Duperron
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  3. Sébastien Halary
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  4. Catherine Azede
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  5. Olivier Gros
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Contributions

Conceptualization and supervision: O.G (Olivier Gros) and S.D. (Sébastien Duperron), Phylogenetic studies: S.D. (Sébastien Duperron) and S.H (Sébastien Halary). Ultrastructural studies: N.B. (Naëma Béziat) and O.G. Collection of specimens and preparation for ultrastructural studies: N.B. and C.A. (Catherine Azède).

All the authors contributed to the writing and editing the manuscript. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Naëma S. Béziat.

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Béziat, N.S., Duperron, S., Halary, S. et al. Bacterial ectosymbionts colonizing gills of two Caribbean mangrove crabs. Symbiosis 85, 105–114 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13199-021-00801-4

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