Seasonality of metazoan ectoparasites in marine European flounder Platichthys flesus (Teleostei: Pleuronectidae)

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2009

Authors

Cavaleiro, FI (Author) Other; Santos, MJ (Author) FCUP

Journal

Title: Parasitology

Vol. 136 No. 8

Pages: 855-865

ISSN: 0031-1820

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 14 Citations

Scopus - 13 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Medical and Health sciences > Health sciences

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-003-J0D

DOI: 10.1017/s003118200900626x

Abstract (EN): Seasonal occurrence of metazoan ectoparasites is described for the first time in marine European flounder. Platichthys flesus (L.). The parasitofauna, ill this study monitored during I Was found to be similar to that previously recorded for flounder. Moreover, specimens of Caligus sp. Muller, 1785 bind Lepeophtheirus performs (Copepoda: Caligidae), Acanthochondria cornuta (Copepoda: Chondracanthidae), Holobomolochus confusus (Copepoda: Bomolochidae) Mid Nerocila orbignyi (Isopoda: Cymothoidae), and also, a praniza larva (Isopoda: Gnathiidae), were isolated. From these, L.pecotoralis and A. cornuta were the dominant parasites in all samples of flounder, while Caligus sp. H. confusus. N. orbignyi Mid the gnathiid praniza seemed to infect the flounder only occasionally. As far as the seasonality of infections is concerned, it differed considerably from that described for estuarine environments. Indeed, both prevalence and abundance of . pectoralis mid A. cornuta reached significant peaks in the summer, whereas the literature identifies the autumn as the season of maximum infection on estuarine flounder. Thus, the former period seems more favourable for the occurence of epizooties of L. pectoralis and A. cornuta in flounder culturing systems running on seawater and operated in the studied or similar environments.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 11