<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>This study describes the parasite community of non-native brown bullhead, <italic>Ameiurus nebulosus</italic> (Actinopterygii: Ictaluridae), collected at three sites in the river Vistula Basin (Lake Svitiaz, Lake Pisochne, and Lake on Plastova) and one site in the river Diester Basin (Lake Stryiska), in Ukraine. Our data represent the first comprehensive study of parasite community in this fish species in Europe. Sixteen parasite taxa were found, including species co-introduced from North America and species acquired in the European range. Maximum parasite richness (13 spp.) was recorded in Lake Svitiaz situated in a Natural Protected Area, while lowest species richness (3 spp.) was observed at Lake on Plastova, an artificial pond in the city of Lviv. Three co-introduced monogenean species, <italic>Gyrodactylus nebulosus</italic>, <italic>Ligictaluridus pricei</italic> and <italic>Ligictaluridus monticellii</italic>, are recorded in Ukraine for the first time, widening the knowledge of the European distribution of these North American parasites. Metric features for hard parts of invasive and native monogeneans showed overlap in ligictalurid parasites, but slightly smaller metrics in Ukrainian <italic>G. nebulosus</italic>, possibly reflecting water temperature during fish sampling. Though prevalence and abundance of acquired parasites was relatively low, infection parameters for metacercariae of <italic>Diplostomum</italic> spp. were relatively high at Lake Svitiaz and the natural Lake Stryiska in Lviv. In two lakes in the Vistula basin, we found high prevalence and abundance of <italic>Anguillicola crassus</italic>, an Asian nematode infecting eels, possibly supporting the invasional meltdown hypothesis. Our study confirms both further spread of non-native parasites in Europe and use of non-native fish as competent hosts for local native and introduced parasites.</p>
</abstract>

This study describes the parasite community of non-native brown bullhead, Ameiurus nebulosus (Actinopterygii: Ictaluridae), collected at three sites in the river Vistula Basin (Lake Svitiaz, Lake Pisochne, and Lake on Plastova) and one site in the river Diester Basin (Lake Stryiska), in Ukraine. Our data represent the first comprehensive study of parasite community in this fish species in Europe. Sixteen parasite taxa were found, including species co-introduced from North America and species acquired in the European range. Maximum parasite richness (13 spp.) was recorded in Lake Svitiaz situated in a Natural Protected Area, while lowest species richness (3 spp.) was observed at Lake on Plastova, an artificial pond in the city of Lviv. Three co-introduced monogenean species, Gyrodactylus nebulosus, Ligictaluridus pricei and Ligictaluridus monticellii, are recorded in Ukraine for the first time, widening the knowledge of the European distribution of these North American parasites. Metric features for hard parts of invasive and native monogeneans showed overlap in ligictalurid parasites, but slightly smaller metrics in Ukrainian G. nebulosus, possibly reflecting water temperature during fish sampling. Though prevalence and abundance of acquired parasites was relatively low, infection parameters for metacercariae of Diplostomum spp. were relatively high at Lake Svitiaz and the natural Lake Stryiska in Lviv. In two lakes in the Vistula basin, we found high prevalence and abundance of Anguillicola crassus, an Asian nematode infecting eels, possibly supporting the invasional meltdown hypothesis. Our study confirms both further spread of non-native parasites in Europe and use of non-native fish as competent hosts for local native and introduced parasites.

First data on parasites of the invasive brown bullhead <italic>Ameiurus nebulosus</italic> (Siluriformes: Ictaluridae) in Ukraine

Helminthologia

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

First data on parasites of the invasive brown bullhead  (Siluriformes: Ictaluridae) in Ukraine

This study describes the parasite community of non-native brown bullhead, Ameiurus nebulosus (Actinopterygii: Ictaluridae), collected at three sites in the...

First data on parasites of the invasive brown bullhead Ameiurus nebulosus (Siluriformes: Ictaluridae) in Ukraine

Published Online: Dec 31, 2023

Page range: 357 - 369

Received: May 02, 2023

Accepted: Aug 04, 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/helm-2023-0035

Keywords
fish parasites, invasive species, monogeneans, parasite co-introduction, range expansion

© 2023 M. Yu. Tkachenko et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

First data on parasites of the invasive brown bullhead Ameiurus nebulosus (Siluriformes: Ictaluridae) in Ukraine

Published Online: Dec 31, 2023

Page range: 357 - 369

Received: May 02, 2023

Accepted: Aug 04, 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/helm-2023-0035

Keywordsfish parasites, invasive species, monogeneans, parasite co-introduction, range expansion

© 2023 M. Yu. Tkachenko et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Keywords
fish parasites, invasive species, monogeneans, parasite co-introduction, range expansion