A peer-reviewed open-access journal NeoBiota 51: 65–80 (2019) Atyid shrimps as potential A. astaci vectors 65 doi: 10.3897/neobiota.51.37718 RESEARCH ARTICLE NeoBiota http://neobiota.pensoft.net Advancing research on alien species and biological invasions May atyid shrimps act as potential vectors of crayfish plague? Agata Mrugała1, Miloš Buřič2, Adam Petrusek1, Antonín Kouba2 1 Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, Prague 2 CZ-12844, Czech Re- public 2 University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Faculty of Fishery and Protection of Waters, South Bohemian Research Centre of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Zátiší 728/II, 389 25 Vodňany, Czech Republic Corresponding author: Agata Mrugała (
[email protected]) Academic editor: Belinda Gallardo | Received 26 June 2019 | Accepted 3 October 2019 | Published 1 November 2019 Citation: Mrugała A, Buřič M, Petrusek A, Kouba A (2019) May atyid shrimps act as potential vectors of crayfish plague? NeoBiota 51: 65–80. https://doi.org/10.3897/neobiota.51.37718 Abstract The causative agent of crayfish plague, Aphanomyces astaci Schikora, was long considered to be a specialist pathogen whose host range is limited to freshwater crayfish. Recent studies, however, provided evidence that this parasite does not only grow within the tissues of freshwater-inhabiting crabs but can also be successfully transmitted by them to European crayfish species. The potential to act as alternative A. astaci hosts was also indicated for freshwater shrimps. We experimentally tested resistance of two freshwater atyid shrimps: Aty- opsis moluccensis (De Haan, 1849) and Atya gabonensis Giebel, 1875. They were infected with the A.