Metazoan parasites of european eel (anguilla anguilla) from the köyceǧizdalyan estuarine channel system, Turkey

Abstract

Metazoan parasites of European eel (Anguilla anguilla) were investigated between December 2009 and March 2010 in the Köyceǧiz-Dalyan estuarine channel system in Turkey. A total of 73 A. anguilla were examined. In two fish (2.7%), no parasites were found. In the others, eight parasite species were found: Pseudodactylogyrus anguillae, Digenea gen. sp., Bucephalus anguillae, Acanthocephalus clavula, Anguillicoloides crassus, Tetraphyllidea gen. sp., Ergasilus gibbus and Ergasilus lizae. Most of the eels had two (37.0% of eels), three (31.5%) or one (15.1%) parasite species. Prevalence and mean intensity of the parasite species were: P. anguillae, 82.2%, 24.6; E. gibbus, 52.1%, 4.0; A. crassus, 39.7%, 3.3; E. lizae, 26.0%, 3.4; B. anguillae, 15.1%, 7.5; Digenea gen. sp., 11.0%, 9.0; A. clavula, 6.8%, 1.8; and Tetraphyllidea gen. sp., 1.4%, 3.0, respectively. P. anguillae and B. anguillae are new records for Turkey.