About:Cucumispora dikerogammari

The microsporidian Cucumispora dikerogammari is a parasitic fungal species that infects the invasive amphipod Dikerogammarus villosus. The first recorded evidence of Cucumispora dikerogammari was, as cited by Ovcharenko and Vita, in Germany, circa 1895, by Dr. L. Pfeiffer in the Dnieper Estuary. The Dnieper Estuary and lower parts of the Danube River are considered to be the parasite’s native range. As its host, D. villosus, began to invade novel habitats, C. dikerogammari followed, and has now expanded its range to be found in many of the main bodies of water in Central and Western Europe. At this time, only limited research has been conducted regarding the ecological implications of C. dikerogammari spreading beyond its native range. However, there is evidence to suggest that C. dikeroga