G lugea sp. infecting Sardinella aurita in Algeria.

Parasitological examination of the commercially important pelagic fish Sardinella aurita Valenciennes, 1847 (Clupeidae) from the Eastern coast of Algeria revealed xenomas in the peritoneal cavity, suggesting a microsporidian infection. The prevalence of the disease was approximately 30% on average, higher in smaller individuals and showing significant seasonal variation. The xenomas contained numerous ellipsoidal spores, surrounded by a dense layer of connective tissue. Spore sizes were 6.10 ± 0.38 µm length and 3.54 ± 0.43 µm width. Ultrastructural examination by transmission electron microscopy showed various development stages of the parasite, including meronts, sporonts, sporoblasts and mature spores. The internal organization of the mature spores, with a single nucleus, prominent posterior vacuole, a lamellar polaroplast and an isofilar polar tube arranged in a single row, was typical of the genus Glugea. The DNA sequence of the small subunit ribosomal RNA gene confirmed that this parasite belongs to the genus Glugea. Genetic and morphologic comparison with G. sardinellensis, a species previously described in the same host from Tunisia shows many similarities, although some molecular and morphometric inconsistencies precluded the unambiguous assignment of our samples to G. sardinellensis. At the same time, we do not find sufficient grounds to erect a new taxon for our parasite. We discuss the implications of our findings for the current state of the systematics of Glugea.

Parasitic isopods from marine fishes off Nagapattinam coast, India.

This study was conducted from August 2013 to January 2014. Host fishes were collected from the Nagapattinam Coast, India. During the sampling period, 242 fishes were infested out of 1440 specimens examined from nine different species of marine fishes. A total of 267 parasitic isopods belonging to nine cymothoid species viz., Anilocra dimidiata (Bleeker 1857), Catoessa boscii (Bleeker 1857), Cymothoa indica (Schioedte and Meinert 1884), Joryma sawayah (Bowman and Tareen 1983), Nerocila arres (Bowman and Tareen 1983), N.loveni (Bovallius 1887) N. phaiopleura (Bleeker 1857), N. serra (Schioedte and Meinert 1881) and N.sundaica (Bleeker 1857) were collected. The Nerocila species were attached to the pectoral fin, the caudal peduncle and different regions of the body surface of the host fishes. The specimen belonging to the species Catoessa boscii, Cymothoa indica and Joryma sawayah were collected from the mouth and the branchial cavity of the infected fishes. Anilocra dimidiata was only found on the body surface of the host fish. The overall prevalence reached 16.80 %. A maximum prevalence was observed in C. boscii parasitizing Carangoides malabaricus (26.81 %) and a minimum prevalence in N. sundaica parasitizing Terapon puta (P = 7.31 %). The mean intensity ranged from 1 to 1.3.

Two Nerocila species parasitizing Pomadasys maculatus from Nagapattinam, Southeast coast of India.

Two species of Cymothoidae (Nerocila loveni and Nerocila sundaica) were collected on the host fish Pomadasys maculatus from the Nagapattinam coast. Pomadasys maculatus is a new host for these parasitic isopods not previously recorded in the world. Nerocila loveni was mainly attached on the caudal peduncle of the fish and N. sundaica was collected from the pectoral fin and the body of the host. For N. loveni and N. sundaica, the prevalence reached 28.70 and 26.08 % respectively. One parasite was collected per host fish.

Host-parasite relationships: Mothocya plagulophora parasitizing Hemiramphus far in the Southeast coast of India.

Totally 384 Mothocya plagulophora were collected in the branchial cavities of Hemiramphus far from the Southeast coast of India during the study period (from July to September 2013). 204 parasites were found in the left branchial cavity and 180 in the right one. The maximum prevalence was observed in July 2013 and the minimum in September 2013. The intensity ranged from a minimum value (1.3) in July and August to a maximum (1.4) in September 2013. In most cases, the parasite was located between the second and the third branchial arch, attached either to the vomerine arch or to the internal wall of the branchial operculum.

New record of Norileca indica from the west coast of India.

Two hundred and twenty samples of Rastrelliger kanagurta from the Cochin Fisheries Harbour were collected during the month of August 2013. Forty-one specimens (32 females and 9 males) were parasitized by the cymothoid isopod Norileca indica. N. indica is recorded for the first time from the west coast of India.

Nerocila sundaica (Isopoda, Cymothoidae) parasitizing Otolithes ruber from Nagapattinam, Southeast coast of India.

Several Nerocila species appear to have little or no host specificity. However, in India, Nerocila sundaica was found to be attached to the pectoral fin or on the body of the fish Otolithes ruber. During October 2013, the parasitic prevalence reached 42.2 % and the Mean intensity was equal to 1. The infected host fish's size ranged from 12.5 to 17.2 cm. Moreover, slight tissue damages were also observed in the host fish.

Nematodes parasitizing Trachurus trachurus (L.) and Boops boops (L.) from Algeria.

A total of 455 Boops boops (Linnaeus, 1758) and 953 Trachurus trachurus Linnaeus, 1758 from the east coast of Algeria were examined for their parasitic Nematoda. Two hundred ninety-five specimens of larval stages L3 and L4 were collected from the peritoneal cavity of these two examined fishes. Photonic and scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) studies were performed on these larvae specimens in order to characterize their morphology. Two different species of Nematoda (Anisikidae) were identified: Anisakis simplex (Rudolphi, 1809) and Hysterothylacium aduncum (Rudolphi, 1802). These two parasitic species were reported for the first time on T. trachurus and B. boops from the eastern coast of Algeria. These parasites were attached on different organs in the abdominal cavity (particularly on ovaries and testes). The infestation rate changed according to the month and the host size. The parasitism did not show a significant negative impact on the condition of the examined fishes.

A scanning electron microscopy study of Argulus vittatus (Rafinesque-Schmaltz, 1814) (Crustacea: Branchiura) from Algerian coast.

A study of the Algerian Branchiura, Argulus vittatus (Rafinesque-Schmaltz, 1814) was conducted using the scanning electron microscopy (SEM). New morphological features are reported for the first time (mouth con, first maxilla, second maxilla, structures and ornamentation of thoracic segments, structure of semen papillae, etc.). The morphology of small and large female specimens was compared. Two new hosts, Pagellus erythrinus L. and Sparus aurata L., are reported for this species. Until now, six host species were reported for A. vittatus, and stenoxenic specificity for Sparid fishes was observed for Algerian specimens. The biogeographical distribution of this species seems to be restricted to the eastern coast of Algeria. Additional information about the host specificity, ecology, and life cycle of this parasitic species were given.

Multiple parasitic crustacean infestation on belonid fish Strongylurastrongylura.

Simultaneous multiple infestation of parasitic crustacean species involving a cymothoid isopod, Cymothoafrontalis Milne Edward, 1840 and four species of copepods such as Lernanthropustylosuri Richiardi, 1880, Caligodeslacinatus Kroyer, 1863, Bomolochusbellones Burmeister, 1833 and Dermoergasiluscoleus Cressey & Collette, 1970 was frequently noticed on spot-tail needlefish, Strongylurastrongylura (Belonidae) captured from the Malabar coast (Kerala, India) during the period from April 2011 to March 2012. All the 43 fishes (Strongylurastrongylura) collected, were under the hyper-infection with parasitic crustaceans; a total of 388 parasitic crustaceans including 57 Cymothoafrontalis, 252 Lernanthropustylosuri, 31 Caligodeslacinatus, 24 Bomolochusbellones and 32 Dermoergasiluscoleus were recovered from the host fish. 4 members (9.30%) of host fish were under quadruple parasitism, in two different combinations. Seventeen (39.53%) host fishes showed triple parasitism and 20 (46.51%) members exhibited double parasitism, with four and five parasitic combinations respectively. Remaining two (4.65%) fishes were parasitized only by the copepod, Lernanthropustylosuri. The infestations by all recovered parasitic crustaceans were highly site specific. The damage caused by the parasitic crustaceans was also discussed.

Seasonal fluctuation of the prevalence of cymothoids representing the genus Nerocila (Crustacea, Isopoda), parasitizing commercially exploited marine fishes from the Malabar Coast, India.

The presently reported study investigated seasonal fluctuations in the prevalence in four species of Nerocila infesting commercially exploited marine fishes representing the families Engraulidae, Clupeidae and Ambassidae, from the Malabar coast (Kerala, India). Seven of 56 fish species belonging to 23 families were infested by either one or two species of Nerocila. All the collected Nerocila species showed significant seasonal fluctuations in the prevalence of infestation, reaching maximum from October through April and minimum (or total absence of the parasites) from May through September. Such fluctuations were analyzed based on environmental parameters. Body surface, postero-ventral side of the head and the lateral line of the host fish form the major infestation site for the recovered Nerocila species. Skin lesion and hemorrhages were observed on the fish parasitized with these cymothoids.

Nerocila species (Crustacea, Isopoda, Cymothoidae) from Indian marine fishes.

Eleven Nerocila species are recorded from 22 marine fishes belonging to 15 families. Three, Nerocila arres, Nerocila depressa, and Nerocila loveni, are new for the Indian fauna. N. arres and Nerocila sigani, previously synonymized, are redescribed and their individuality is restored. Nerocila exocoeti, until now inadequately identified, is described and distinctly characterized. A neotype is designated. New hosts were identified for N. depressa, N. loveni, Nerocila phaiopleura, Nerocila serra, and Nerocila sundaica. Host-parasite relationships were considered. The parasitologic indexes were calculated. The site of attachment of the parasites on their hosts was also observed. A checklist of the nominal Nerocila species until now reported from Indian marine fishes was compiled.

New occurrence of parasitic isopods from Indian fishes.

Until now, 36 species belonging to the family Cymothoidae (Crustacea, Isopoda) were recorded from Indian fishes. In this study, ten additional cymothoids are reported in India, most of them for the first time. They parasitize nine fish species, several of them being new host species.

An annotated list of fish parasites (Isopoda, Copepoda, Monogenea, Digenea, Cestoda, Nematoda) collected from Snappers and Bream (Lutjanidae, Nemipteridae, Caesionidae) in New Caledonia confirms high parasite biodiversity on coral reef fish.

BACKGROUND: Coral reefs are areas of maximum biodiversity, but the parasites of coral reef fishes, and especially their species richness, are not well known. Over an 8-year period, parasites were collected from 24 species of Lutjanidae, Nemipteridae and Caesionidae off New Caledonia, South Pacific. RESULTS: Host-parasite and parasite-host lists are provided, with a total of 207 host-parasite combinations and 58 parasite species identified at the species level, with 27 new host records. Results are presented for isopods, copepods, monogeneans, digeneans, cestodes and nematodes. When results are restricted to well-sampled reef fish species (sample size > 30), the number of host-parasite combinations is 20-25 per fish species, and the number of parasites identified at the species level is 9-13 per fish species. Lutjanids include reef-associated fish and deeper sea fish from the outer slopes of the coral reef: fish from both milieus were compared. Surprisingly, parasite biodiversity was higher in deeper sea fish than in reef fish (host-parasite combinations: 12.50 vs 10.13, number of species per fish 3.75 vs 3.00); however, we identified four biases which diminish the validity of this comparison. Finally, these results and previously published results allow us to propose a generalization of parasite biodiversity for four major families of reef-associated fishes (Lutjanidae, Nemipteridae, Serranidae and Lethrinidae): well-sampled fish have a mean of 20 host-parasite combinations per fish species, and the number of parasites identified at the species level is 10 per fish species. CONCLUSIONS: Since all precautions have been taken to minimize taxon numbers, it is safe to affirm than the number of fish parasites is at least ten times the number of fish species in coral reefs, for species of similar size or larger than the species in the four families studied; this is a major improvement to our estimate of biodiversity in coral reefs. Our results suggest that extinction of a coral reef fish species would eventually result in the coextinction of at least ten species of parasites.

Catoessa boscii (Crustacea, Isopoda, Cymothoidae) parasitic on Carangoides malabaricus (Pisces, Carangidae) from India. Taxonomy and host-parasite relationships.

Catoessa boscii (Bleeker, 1857) (Crustacea, Isopoda, Cymothoidae), is redescribed according to the type specimen observed by Schioedte and Meinert (1884) extant in the Rijksmuseum von Natuurlijke Historie, Leiden (RMNH) and from many additional specimens recently collected in India from Carangoides malabaricus (Pisces, Carangidae). This study allows an updating of the diagnosis of the genus Catoessa and of the species Catoessa boscii. Some parasite-host relationships were studied during the year. Prevalence and sex ratio of parasites varied according to the month, and the sex and size of hosts.

A massive infestation of sea snakes by cymothoid isopods.

In this study, a massive infestation of the sea snake Enhydrina schistosa by the cymothoid isopod Nerocila serra, commonly parasitizing fishes, is reported for the first time from India. This isopod was found attached on the different parts of the body of the snake. According to the month, the parasitic prevalence ranged from 30.8 to 55.3%, increasing during the monsson period. It was higher in female than in male snakes.

Argulus vittatus (Rafinesque-Smaltz, 1814) (Crustacea: Branchiura) parasitic on Algerian fishes.

Eighteen female specimens of Argulus vittatus (Rafinesque-Smaltz, 1814) were recently collected from the Algerian coast. As until now this species was poorly described, this contribution redescribes this species with more precise drawings on the general morphology and appendages, using this fresh material. For the first time, two new hosts are identified. Host specificity and some ecological data are also reported.

Biodiversity of brackish water amphipods (crustacean) in two estuaries, southeast coast of India.

The present study about the gammarid amphipods of Vellar and Uppanar estuaries was performed during two seasons (pre-monsoon and post-monsoon, 2005-2006), respectively, in nine habitats: five in the Vellar estuary and four in the Uppanar estuary. Amphipod samples were collected from sediments, oyster beds, seaweeds, sea grass, and mangroves. A total of 29 species of gammarid amphipods were collected in each area. The surface water temperature ranged from 16°C to 26°C, the salinity from 20 to 32 psu, and the pH between 7.5 and 8.3. Dissolved oxygen ranged from 5.3 to 7.8 ml/l. The maximum abundance of amphipods was observed during the pre-monsoon (July to September) in Vellar mangrove, and it was minimum during the pre-monsoon in Uppanar sea grass. It was found that several physicochemical factors, such as salinity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, and the substrate have a marked effect on the distribution and the relative abundance of amphipods. The ranges of species diversity, richness, dominance, and evenness in the Vellar and Uppanar estuaries were 1.58-4.15, 1.82-5.29, 0-0.11, and 0.96-1, respectively. Using multivariate analyses, in each estuary, it was possible to identify different communities of amphipod species according to their habitats.

An annotated list of parasites (Isopoda, Copepoda, Monogenea, Digenea, Cestoda and Nematoda) collected in groupers (Serranidae, Epinephelinae) in New Caledonia emphasizes parasite biodiversity in coral reef fish.

Abstract: Over a 7-year period, parasites have been collected from 28 species of groupers (Serranidae, Epinephelinae) in the waters off New Caledonia. Host-parasite and parasite-host lists are provided, with a total of 337 host-parasite combinations, including 146 parasite identifications at the species level. Results are included for isopods (5 species), copepods (19), monogeneans (56), digeneans (28), cestodes (12), and nematodes (12). When results are restricted to those 14 fish species for which more than five specimens were examined and to parasites identified at the species level, 109 host-parasite combinations were recorded, with 63 different species, of which monogeneans account for half (32 species), and an average of 4.5 parasite species per fish species. Digenean records were compared for 16 fish species shared with the study of Cribb et al. (2002); based on a total of 90 parasite records identified at the species level, New Caledonia has 17 new records and only seven species were already known from other locations. We hypothesize that the present results represent only a small part of the actual biodiversity, and we predict a biodiversity of 10 different parasite species and 30 host-parasite combinations per serranid. A comparison with a study on Heron Island (Queensland, Australia) by Lester and Sewell (1989) was attempted: of the four species of fish in common and in a total of 91 host-parasite combinations, only six parasites identified at the species level were shared. This suggests strongly that insufficient sampling impairs proper biogeographical or ecological comparisons. Probably only 3% of the parasite species of coral reef fish are already known in New Caledonia.

New host record, Parablennius sanguinolentus (Teleostei, Perciformes, Blenniidae) for Nerocila bivittata (Crustacea, Isopoda, Cymothoidae).

Nerocila bivittata (Crustacea, Isopoda, Cymothoidae) is reported for the first time on the caudal peduncle of the Rusty blenny, Parablennius sanguinolentus (Teleostei, Perciformes, Blenniidae), collected from Samsun Coast, Black Sea, Turkey. N. bivittata parasitized 7.4% (2 of 27) of the P. sanguinolentus collected.

Report on the monogenean Cyclocotyla bellones and three cymothoids parasitizing two fish species from the Aegean Sea coasts of Turkey.

In this paper, three separate instances of an association between an ectoparasite, Cyclocotyla bellones (Otto, 1821) (Monogenea: Diclidophoridae) and ectoparasitic isopods have been reported for the first time from the Aegean Sea coasts of Turkey. The isopods were all of the family Cymothoidae: Ceratothoa oestroides, C. parallela, Emetha audouini.