Parasite communities of the elongate tigerfish Hydrocynus forskahlii (Cuvier 1819) and redbelly tilapia Tilapia zillii (Gervais 1848) from Lake Turkana, Kenya: influence of host sex and size

2014 ◽  
Vol 60 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elick O. Otachi ◽  
Beata Szostakowska ◽  
Franz Jirsa ◽  
Christine Fellner-Frank
Keyword(s):  
Influencing Factor ◽  
Parasite Community ◽  
Parasite Fauna ◽  
Lake Turkana ◽  
Parasite Communities ◽  
Large Size ◽  
Tilapia Zillii ◽  
Hydrocynus Forskahlii ◽  
Host Sex ◽  
Important Food Source

AbstractFish is an important food source for an estimated 300,000 people inhabiting the shores of Lake Turkana, Kenya. Despite its large size (7560 km2) and importance, the lake remains one of the least studied in the Great Lakes Region of Africa. This study describes the parasite community of the elongate tigerfish Hydrocynus forskahlii (Cuvier, 1819) and the redbelly tilapia Tilapia zillii (Gervais, 1848). A total of 87 individuals (43 H. forskahlii and 44 T. zillii) were dissected and examined for parasites. Two taxa infected H. forskahlii, the dominant one being an anisakid nematode Contracaecum sp. (L3) (P = 83.7%, mean intensity (MI) = 46.0, abundance (A) = 38.5). Twelve parasite taxa were recovered from T. zillii, with metacestodes of the gryporhynchid cestode Amirthalingamia macracantha being dominant (P = 79.5, MI = 10.3, A = 8.2). This was the first report of a mixture of merocercoids and plerocercoids in the same host. Fish size was positively correlated with the major parasite infection levels, but, the prevalence of Contracaecum sp. in H. forskahlii was negatively correlated with size, probably reflecting ontogenetic shifts in habitats and diets with age. Fish sex was not a significant influencing factor, with the exception of Contracaecum sp. in H. forskahlii, where prevalence differed significantly between sexes (p<0.05), with the females having a higher prevalence than the males. We conclude that H. forskahlii had a poor parasitic community but that the infection levels with Contracaecum sp. were high. T. zillii had a rich parasite fauna, although, most parasites occurred at low intensities.

The parasites of Pacific halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis) in the eastern North Pacific: host-level influences

1998 ◽  
Vol 76 (3) ◽  
pp. 536-547 ◽  
Author(s):  
R B Blaylock ◽  
J C Holmes ◽  
L Margolis
Keyword(s):  
Parasite Community ◽  
Marine Fishes ◽  
Fish Diet ◽  
Parasite Communities ◽  
Pacific Halibut ◽  
Large Size ◽  
Hippoglossus Stenolepis ◽  
Host Sex ◽  
Marine Parasites ◽  
Marine System

Fifty-nine metazoan parasite taxa were identified from 536 Pacific halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis) of three size classes (recruits (<10 cm), juveniles (10-55 cm), and subadults/adults (55-102 cm)). Pacific halibut harbor parasite communities that are among the richest and most abundant found in those marine fishes studied to date. The parasites are largely host generalists, being found in a wide variety of marine fishes. These three features appear to be due, in part, to the interplay of the large size, wide diet, extensive mobility, and long life-span of halibut, plus the lack of specificity in the marine system and the ability of marine parasites to be transferred trophically from prey fishes to piscivorous fishes. The parasite community in halibut is more similar to those in other flatfishes than to those in ecological analogs, suggesting that phylogeny is an important determinant as well. There are no differences in infections due to host sex. Recruits harbor few parasites, but parasite species and particularly individuals accumulate with host age and length and reflect the shift from a crustacean to a fish diet. Growth rate influences the number of parasite individuals in a given fish, probably reflecting food intake. The smallest fish in the 5-, 6-, and 7-year age-classes have more parasite individuals than slightly larger fish in the same age-class and weigh less than expected for their size; they may be debilitated by parasites.

Biodiversity of parasite assemblages in the genus Petrogale and its relation to the phylogeny and biogeography of their hosts

2016 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 61
Author(s):  
Elke T. Vermeulen ◽  
Michelle L. Power ◽  
David A. Nipperess ◽  
Ian Beveridge ◽  
Mark D. B. Eldridge
Keyword(s):  
Host Species ◽  
Conservation Management ◽  
Parasite Community ◽  
Parasite Fauna ◽  
Parasite Communities ◽  
Wildlife Species ◽  
Species Of Conservation Concern ◽  
Conservation Concern ◽  
Established Species ◽  
Parasite Assemblages

Parasites form an integral part of overall biodiversity although they are often overlooked in conservation management, where emphasis is primarily directed towards the host. Parasites are often highly specialised to particular hosts, and thus may be just as threatened as the host they inhabit. For many of Australia’s wildlife species, little is known about their associated parasite communities. To begin to address this knowledge gap, we documented the parasite fauna described in the genetically diverse marsupial genus Petrogale, which contains seven species of conservation concern. The literature evaluation showed parasites of Petrogale to be highly diverse, with 17 species of protozoa, 8 species of cestodes, 102 species of nematodes and 30 species of ectoparasites identified in 16 of 17 Petrogale host species. A comparison of the parasite communities amongst Petrogale host species indicated a highly significant correlation between the parasite community similarity, and the phylogeny (P = 0.008) and biogeography (P = 0.0001) of their Petrogale hosts, suggesting high host specificity within their associated parasite assemblages. Five Petrogale species have established species recovery programs and their parasite communities should also be considered threatened, and management of parasite diversity required as part of these conservation programs.

Richness patterns in the parasite communities of exotic poeciliid fishes

Parasitology ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 120 (6) ◽  
pp. 609-623 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. D. M. DOVE
Keyword(s):  
Native Species ◽  
Parasite Species ◽  
Parasite Community ◽  
Life Cycles ◽  
Theoretical Modelling ◽  
Sampling Effort ◽  
Parasite Communities ◽  
Parasite Richness ◽  
Host Sex ◽  
Native Fishes

Three species of poeciliids (Gambusia holbrooki, Xiphophorus helleri and X. maculatus) and 15 species of ecologically similar native freshwater fishes (mainly eleotrids, ambassids, melanotaeniids and retropinnids) were examined for parasite richness to investigate parasite flux, qualitative differences, quantitative differences and the structuring factors in parasite communities in the 2 fish types in Queensland, Australia. Theory suggests that poeciliids would harbour depauperate parasite communities. Results supported this hypothesis; poeciliids harboured more species-poor parasite infracommunities and regional faunas than natives (P < 0·0001), despite greater sampling effort for the former. Cluster analysis of presence/absence data for poeciliids and the 6 most-sampled native fishes revealed that parasite communities of the 2 fish groups are qualitatively distinct; the proportion of parasite species with complex life-cycles was lower in poeciliids than in native species, and Myxosporea, Microspora, Coccidia and parasitic Crustacea were all absent from poeciliids. Limited exchange of parasite species has occurred between natives and poeciliids. Logistic ordinal regression analysis revealed that fish origin (exotic or native), environmental disturbance and host sex were all significant determinants of parasite community richness (P < 0·05). Theoretical modelling suggests that poeciliids are at a competitive advantage over native fishes because of their lack of parasites.

scholarly journals Community ecology of the metazoan parasites of Atlantic Moonfish, Selene setapinnis (Osteichthyes: Carangidae) from the coastal zone of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

2004 ◽  
Vol 64 (3a) ◽  
pp. 399-406 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. S. Cordeiro ◽  
J. L. Luque
Keyword(s):  
Coastal Zone ◽  
Rio De Janeiro ◽  
Parasite Community ◽  
The State ◽  
Metazoan Parasites ◽  
Parasite Abundance ◽  
Positive Correlation ◽  
Parasite Communities ◽  
Total Length ◽  
Host Sex

Eighty-nine specimens of Selene setapinnis (Mitchill, 1815) collected from the coastal zone of the State of Rio de Janeiro (21-23ºS, 41-45ºW and 23º05'S, 44º30'W), Brazil, from August 2001 to May 2002, were necropsied to study their metazoan parasites. Eighty-one (91%) specimens of S. setapinnis were parasitized by one or more metazoan species. Twenty-one species of parasites were collected: 8 digeneans, 3 monogeneans, 2 cestodes, 5 nematodes, and 3 copepods. The endoparasites (digeneans, cestodes, and nematodes) were 74.1% of total number of parasite specimens collected. The monogenean Pseudomazocraes selene (Hargis, 1957) was the most dominant species with the highest prevalence in the parasite community of S. setapinnis. The metazoan parasites of this host species showed the typical aggregated pattern of distribution. Only one parasite species (Acanthocolpoides pauloi Travassos, Freitas & Buhrnheim, 1955) showed positive correlation between the host total length and parasite abundance in S. setapinnis. Caligus robustus Bassett-Smith, 1898, P. selene, and Terranova sp. demonstrated positive correlation between the host total length and prevalence. Larvae of Terranova sp. showed influence of the host sex on its prevalence. A pair of ectoparasite species, P. selene-C. robustus, exhibited positive covariation between their abundances. Two pairs of endoparasite species, L. microstomum-P. merus and A. pauloi-P. merus showed significant covariation among their abundances; and the pair Terranova sp.-Raphidascaris sp. had positive co-ocorrence and covariation in the infracommunities of S. setapinnis. Like the parasite communities of the other carangid fishes from Rio de Janeiro, the parasite community of S. setapinnis is apparently only a slightly ordered species complex, characterized by dominance of endoparasite species.

The ecology of parasites of freshwater fishes: the search for patterns

Parasitology ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 136 (12) ◽  
pp. 1653-1662 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. R. KENNEDY
Keyword(s):  
Community Dynamics ◽  
Parasite Community ◽  
Freshwater Fishes ◽  
Convincing Evidence ◽  
Helminth Parasites ◽  
Parasite Communities ◽  
Space And Time ◽  
Long Time ◽  
Population And Community Dynamics ◽  
Parasite Populations

SUMMARYDevelopments in the study of the ecology of helminth parasites of freshwater fishes over the last half century are reviewed. Most research has of necessity been field based and has involved the search for patterns in population and community dynamics that are repeatable in space and time. Mathematical models predict that under certain conditions host and parasite populations can attain equilibrial levels through operation of regulatory factors. Such factors have been identified in several host-parasite systems and some parasite populations have been shown to persist over long time-periods. However, there is no convincing evidence that fish parasite populations are stable and regulated since in all cases alternative explanations are equally acceptable and it appears that they are non-equilibrial systems. It has proved particularly difficult to detect replicable patterns in parasite communities. Inter-specific competition, evidenced by functional and numerical responses, has been detected in several communities but its occurrence is erratic and its significance unclear. Some studies have failed to find any nested patterns in parasite community structure and richness, whereas others have identified such patterns although they are seldom constant over space and time. Departures from randomness appear to be the exception and then only temporary. It appears that parasite communities are non-equilibrial, stochastic assemblages rather than structured and organized.

Consistent differences in macroparasite community composition among populations of three-spined sticklebacks,Gasterosteus aculeatusL.

Parasitology ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 139 (11) ◽  
pp. 1478-1491 ◽  
Author(s):  
JOB DE ROIJ ◽  
ANDREW D. C. MacCOLL
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Variation ◽  
Community Composition ◽  
Gasterosteus Aculeatus ◽  
Parasite Community ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Habitat Characteristics ◽  
Parasite Communities ◽  
Geographical Distances ◽  
Host Parasite ◽  
Relative Differences

SUMMARYParasite ecologists are often interested in the repeatability of patterns in parasite communities in space and/or time, because of implications for the dynamics of host-parasite interactions. Field studies usually examine temporal and spatial variation in isolation or limit themselves to a small number of host populations. Here, we studied the macroparasite communities of 12 populations of three-spined stickleback,Gasterosteus aculeatusL., on North Uist, Scotland, separated by small geographical distances, during the breeding season in 2 consecutive years (2007 and 2008) to determine: (1) the extent of spatial variation in macroparasite communities, (2) whether this variation is consistent across years, and (3) whether habitat characteristics can explain differences in macroparasite community composition among populations. We found substantial variation in parasite communities among populations. Generally, measures of parasite community composition were higher in 2008 than in 2007, but this effect of year was consistent across populations, such that the relative differences in these measures among populations changed little between years. These data suggest that there is short-term stability in the spatial variation in macroparasite communities of North Uist sticklebacks. However, none of the 5 habitat characteristics measured explained spatial variation in any measure of parasite community composition.

scholarly journals Bovine tuberculosis disturbs parasite functional trait composition in African buffalo

2019 ◽  
Vol 116 (29) ◽  
pp. 14645-14650 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brianna R. Beechler ◽  
Kate S. Boersma ◽  
Peter E. Buss ◽  
Courtney A. C. Coon ◽  
Erin E. Gorsich ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Community Composition ◽  
Bovine Tuberculosis ◽  
Community Dynamics ◽  
Parasite Community ◽  
Functional Trait ◽  
Taxonomic Composition ◽  
African Buffalo ◽  
Emerging Infections ◽  
Parasite Communities ◽  
Parasite Richness

Novel parasites can have wide-ranging impacts, not only on host populations, but also on the resident parasite community. Historically, impacts of novel parasites have been assessed by examining pairwise interactions between parasite species. However, parasite communities are complex networks of interacting species. Here we used multivariate taxonomic and trait-based approaches to determine how parasite community composition changed when African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) acquired an emerging disease, bovine tuberculosis (BTB). Both taxonomic and functional parasite richness increased significantly in animals that acquired BTB than in those that did not. Thus, the presence of BTB seems to catalyze extraordinary shifts in community composition. There were no differences in overall parasite taxonomic composition between infected and uninfected individuals, however. The trait-based analysis revealed an increase in direct-transmitted, quickly replicating parasites following BTB infection. This study demonstrates that trait-based approaches provide insight into parasite community dynamics in the context of emerging infections.

scholarly journals Species composition and structure of parasites component communities of tugun Coregonus tugun (Pallas, 1814) from the Khatanga and Yenisei Rivers

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 72-80
Author(s):  
Kseniya Viktorovna Polyaeva ◽  
Gennady Nikolaevich Dorovskikh ◽  
Yuliya Konstantinovna Chugunova
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
Parasite Community ◽  
Shannon Index ◽  
Egg Laying ◽  
Entire Study ◽  
Generalist Species ◽  
Parasite Communities ◽  
Composition And Structure ◽  
Number Of Individuals ◽  
Species Composition And Structure

Tugun Coregonus tugun (Pallas, 1814) is an endemic of Siberia. Information about the species composition and structure of tugun parasite community on the stage of spawning migration is described in this paper. We carried out ichtioparasitologic studies in the Yenisey and the Khatanga Rivers in 2011-2014. Tugun parasite complex from the Khatanga River remains statistically identical in species composition, number of individuals and biomass and differs from those of the Yeniseis tugun over the entire study period. Apparently two different stocks of tugun were investigated in the Yenisei River. One of them lives in the Yeniseis streambed, the other one lives in the Podkamennaya Tunguska River. The composition of the parasitic fauna of tugun from two rivers is formed by generalist species. Tugun parasites component communities from all material collection stations have high values of the Shannon index and two dominant species (by numbers of parasites and by biomass). We found out that the species biomasses differ significantly on the graphic community structure. The description of tugun parasite communities corresponds to characteristic of a climax community on the stage of destruction except the graphic structure. In the analyzed parasitic communities the processes of egg laying and larval appearance, the death of parasites of previous year generation and infection with this year parasites occur simultaneously. The stages of formation and destruction of the community overlap. The described state of tugun parasites communities has an adaptive value. The load on the host body is reduced which ensures the long-term existence of parasites.

scholarly journals Interannual variation in the metazoan parasite communities of bigeye trevally Caranx sexfasciatus (Pisces, Carangidae)

Parasite ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 27 ◽  
pp. 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan Violante-González ◽  
Scott Monks ◽  
Yesenia Gallegos-Navarro ◽  
Nataly G. Santos-Bustos ◽  
Princessa J. Villalba-Vasquez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
Parasite Species ◽  
Single Species ◽  
Parasite Community ◽  
Component Community ◽  
Metazoan Parasites ◽  
Parasite Communities ◽  
Local Fluctuations ◽  
Low Diversity ◽  
Abiotic Environmental Factors

Parasite communities in Caranx sexfasciatus were characterized and analyzed to determine any interannual variations in structure and/or species composition. In total, 422 C. sexfasciatus were collected from Acapulco Bay, Mexico, between May 2016 and March 2019. Thirty-two taxa of metazoan parasites were identified: five Monogenea, thirteen Digenea, one Acanthocephala, one Cestoda, three Nematoda, seven Copepoda, and two Isopoda. Monogeneans were the most frequent and abundant parasite species in all sampling years. Parasite species richness at the component community level varied significantly from 8 (May 2016) to 25 (March 2019) and was similar to previous reports for other species of Carangidae. The component communities and infracommunities in C. sexfasciatus were characterized by low parasite species numbers, low diversity, and dominance of a single species (the monogenean Neomicrocotyle pacifica). Parasite community structure and species composition varied between sampling years and climatic seasons. Seasonal or local fluctuations in some biotic and abiotic environmental factors probably explain these variations.

Gyrodactylus malalai sp. nov. (Monogenea, Gyrodactylidae) from Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (L.) and Redbelly tilapia, Tilapia zillii (Gervais) (Teleostei, Cichlidae) in the Lake Turkana, Kenya

2012 ◽  
Vol 57 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Iva Přikrylová ◽  
Blažek Radim ◽  
Milan Gelnar
Keyword(s):  
Oreochromis Niloticus ◽  
Nile Tilapia ◽  
Sequence Data ◽  
Marginal Hook ◽  
Lake Turkana ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Tilapia Zillii ◽  
Nile Tilapia Oreochromis Niloticus ◽  
Sarotherodon Galilaeus ◽  
Partial 18S

AbstractGyrodactylus malalai sp. nov. is described from the fin surface of cichlid fishes Oreochromis niloticus (L.) and Tilapia zillii (Gervais) caught in Lake Turkana (Kenya). The new species morphologically resembles Gyrodactylus nyanzae Paperna, 1973, but can be readily distinguished by the shape of the marginal hook sickles and the size of its hamuli. The sequence data of rDNA spanning partial 18S, internal transcribe spacer 1 and 2 and the 5.8S gene is unique within GenBank. Genetically, as most similar Gyrodactylus ergensi Přikrylová, Matějusová, Musilová et Gelnar, 2009 was found (97.5%). Moreover, a specimen of G. cichlidarum from O. niloticus, and a specimen G. ergensi from Sarotherodon galilaeus (L.) were collected during sampling in Kenya. Likewise, additional sampling of O. niloticus from the Blue Nile in Sudan revealed the presence of the newly described species. These findings represent the first records of gyrodactylids in both African countries.

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