Examination of naturally infected felids and viverrids in Malaysia confirmed previously published records which indicated that P. westermani occurred only in felid cats. Felis planiceps and F. temnickli were reported as new host records. Analysis of stomach contents revealed no crab remains in either family of cats, but confirmed that felids were strictly carnivorous while viverrids were often omnivorous. In feeding experiments, only viverrids ate the host crabs Potomiscus johorensis and Parathelphusa maculata. The probable transmission of P. westermani to felids via paratenic hosts was discussed.
Infection by the rhizocephalan parasite Sacculina beauforti can have detrimental effects on mud crab Scylla olivacea. However, the molecular changes that occur during rhizocephalan infection are poorly understood. Due to the disruption in the reproductive system after infection, the gonadal transcriptomic profiles of non-infected and infected Scylla olivacea were compared. A total of 686 and 843 unigenes were differentially expressed between non-infected and infected males, and females, respectively. The number of DEGs increased after infection. By comparing shared DEGs of non-infected and infected individuals, potential immune- and reproduction-related of host, and immune- and metabolism-related genes of parasite are highlighted. The only shared KEGG pathway between non-infected and infected individuals was the ribosome pathway. In summary, findings in this study provide new insights into the host-parasite relationship of rhizocephalan parasites and their crustacean hosts.