Investigating the Ability of a Viral Pathogen of Callinectes sapidus to Infect Other Crabs in the Genus Callinectes and in Panopeid Prey Species

The virus CsRV1 is found in blue crabs throughout their range but nearly disappears in tropical waters, and this study tests whether that pattern reflects a narrow host range or something about the tropical environment itself. Through experimental infections of related swimming crabs and mud crab prey species, alongside field surveys in the Indian River Lagoon and Chesapeake Bay, the work asks which species CsRV1 can actually infect and where the virus might persist unnoticed.