<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><xml><records><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Anika Preuss</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Thomas Schwaha</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Alexander Kovalev</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">David Ebmer</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Insa Herzog</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Kristina Lehnert</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Corvin Grass</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Freya Sandberg</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Elias Hamann</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Marcus Zuber</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">van de Kamp, Thomas</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Gorb,Stanislav N.</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">The ectoparasitic seal louse, &lt;i&gt;Echinophthirius horridus&lt;/i&gt;, relies on a sealed tracheal system and spiracle closing apparatus for underwater respiration</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Communications Biology</style></secondary-title></titles><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2025</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Jun-03-2025</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-025-08285-4</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">8</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">13 pp</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">&lt;p&gt;&lt;jats p=&quot;&quot;&gt;Marine mammals host a diverse array of parasites engaged in a continuous evolutionary arms race. However, our understanding of the biology of parasitic insects associated with marine mammals, particularly their adaptations to challenging marine environments, remains limited. The seal louse, &lt;jats italic=&quot;&quot;&gt;Echinophthirius horridus&lt;/jats&gt;, which infests true seals, is one of thirteen insect species capable of enduring prolonged dives in open seas. This ectoparasite has evolved several adaptations to withstand extreme conditions, such as low oxygen levels (hypoxia), temperature fluctuations, hydrostatic pressure, and strong drag forces during dives. To prevent drowning during their host&amp;rsquo;s 20&amp;ndash;35&amp;thinsp;min dives, seal lice have developed specialized respiratory mechanisms that allow them to survive in oxygen-poor waters and at depths up to 600&amp;thinsp;m. Advanced imaging techniques, including CLSM, SEM, synchrotron &lt;jats italic=&quot;&quot;&gt;X&lt;/jats&gt;-ray microtomography, and histological sectioning and 3D-reconstruction, have revealed a specialized spiracle closing apparatus for storing oxygen in their tracheal system. Furthermore, our buoyancy experiments showed that the lice consume oxygen under water and, with morphological data, provide what is to our knowledge the first direct evidence against plastron presence. These findings enhance our understanding of the physical adaptations of lice and their survival in extreme ecological conditions, contributing to broader ecological and evolutionary theories.&lt;/jats&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
</style></abstract><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">852</style></issue><work-type><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Open access</style></work-type></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">David Ebmer</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Stephan Handschuh</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Thomas Schwaha</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Ana Rubio-García</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Ulrich Gärtner</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Martin Glösmann</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Anja Taubert</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Hermosilla, C</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Novel 3D in situ visualization of seal heartworm (&lt;i&gt;Acanthocheilonema spirocauda&lt;/i&gt;) larvae in the seal louse &lt;i&gt;(Echinophthirius horridus&lt;/i&gt;) by X-ray microCT</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%"> Scientific reports</style></secondary-title></titles><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2022</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Aug-18-2022</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-18418-y</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">12</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">10 pp</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">&lt;p&gt;&lt;jats title=&quot;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Abstract&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/jats&gt;&lt;jats p=&quot;&quot;&gt;: The seal heartworm &lt;jats italic=&quot;&quot;&gt;Acanthocheilonema spirocauda&lt;/jats&gt; (Nematoda: Onchocercidae) parasitizes the heart and pulmonary arteries of various phocid seals of the Northern Hemisphere. Over many decades, potential vectors of this parasite have been discussed, and to this date, the life cycle is not fully known. The seal louse &lt;jats italic=&quot;&quot;&gt;Echinophthirius horridus&lt;/jats&gt; (Anoplura: Echinophthiriidae) is an obligatory, permanent and haematophagous ectoparasite of phocids that has been hypothesized to function as obligate intermediate host for &lt;jats italic=&quot;&quot;&gt;A. spirocauda&lt;/jats&gt;. We examined 11 adult &lt;jats italic=&quot;&quot;&gt;E. horridus&lt;/jats&gt; specimens collected from stranded harbour seals (&lt;jats italic=&quot;&quot;&gt;Phoca vitulina&lt;/jats&gt;) in rehabilitation at the Sealcentre Pieterburen by X-ray microCT imaging, aiming to illustrate larval &lt;jats italic=&quot;&quot;&gt;A. spirocauda&lt;/jats&gt; infection sites in situ. In three of these specimens, thread-like larvae were detected in insect organs. Detailed imaging of the most infected louse revealed a total of 54 &lt;jats italic=&quot;&quot;&gt;A. spirocauda&lt;/jats&gt; larvae located either in fat bodies or the haemocoel. Histological analysis of the same specimen illustrated nematode cross-sections, confirming X-ray microCT data. The current data strongly suggest that &lt;jats italic=&quot;&quot;&gt;E. horridus&lt;/jats&gt; is a natural intermediate host for &lt;jats italic=&quot;&quot;&gt;A. spirocauda&lt;/jats&gt;. Moreover, we demonstrate the potential of X-ray microCT-based imaging as a non-destructive method to analyze host-parasite interactions, especially in the neglected field of marine mammal parasitology.&lt;/jats&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
</style></abstract><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">14078</style></issue></record></records></xml>