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

<p>The Ascaridoidea are parasites with heteroxenous life cycles. The study shows that fish can be paratenic, intermediate, or final hosts for parasites, and parasitic fauna reflects the feeding behavior of the hosts. Each species of parasites has also different environmental preferences and host specificity. Parasitic nematodes of fish representing Pleuronectidae, Gadidae, Sebastidae, and Macrouridae were studied. Worms were collected separately from different infection sites: stomach, intestine, liver and body cavity. Nematodes were identified using both morphological and molecular methods (PCR-RFLP). Six nematode species were recorded: <italic>Anisakis simplex</italic> s.s., <italic>Contracaecum osculatum</italic> A, B, and <italic>C</italic>. <italic>osculatum</italic> C (s.s.), <italic>Hysterothylacium aduncum</italic> and <italic>Pseudoterranova bulbosa</italic>. <italic>Anisakis simplex</italic> s.s. was the most numerous nematode species of all catches combined. Differences in parasite species composition were related to the depth and location of sampling areas. In the fish from deep waters, the abundance of <italic>A</italic>. <italic>simplex</italic> s.s. decreased compared to fish from shallow waters and <italic>P</italic>. <italic>bulbosa</italic> was the dominant species. Ascaridoid species have specific preferences regarding the impact on various internal organs of fish, which is reflected in their abundance. The presence of Ascaridoidea in the Barents Sea is associated with the distribution of hosts and varying food preferences related to the age of fish. The abundance of parasites varied between different host species.</p></abstract>

The Ascaridoidea are parasites with heteroxenous life cycles. The study shows that fish can be paratenic, intermediate, or final hosts for parasites, and parasitic fauna reflects the feeding behavior of the hosts. Each species of parasites has also different environmental preferences and host specificity. Parasitic nematodes of fish representing Pleuronectidae, Gadidae, Sebastidae, and Macrouridae were studied. Worms were collected separately from different infection sites: stomach, intestine, liver and body cavity. Nematodes were identified using both morphological and molecular methods (PCR-RFLP). Six nematode species were recorded: Anisakis simplex s.s., Contracaecum osculatum A, B, and C. osculatum C (s.s.), Hysterothylacium aduncum and Pseudoterranova bulbosa. Anisakis simplex s.s. was the most numerous nematode species of all catches combined. Differences in parasite species composition were related to the depth and location of sampling areas. In the fish from deep waters, the abundance of A. simplex s.s. decreased compared to fish from shallow waters and P. bulbosa was the dominant species. Ascaridoid species have specific preferences regarding the impact on various internal organs of fish, which is reflected in their abundance. The presence of Ascaridoidea in the Barents Sea is associated with the distribution of hosts and varying food preferences related to the age of fish. The abundance of parasites varied between different host species.

Distribution of ascaridoid nematodes (Nematoda: Chromadorea: Ascaridoidea) in fish from the Barents Sea

Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Parasitology

Oceanological and Hydrobiological Studies

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

The Ascaridoidea are parasites with heteroxenous life cycles. The study shows that fish can be paratenic, intermediate, or final hosts for parasites, and...

Distribution of ascaridoid nematodes (Nematoda: Chromadorea: Ascaridoidea) in fish from the Barents Sea

Article Category: Original research paper

Pubblicato online: 18 giu 2018

Pagine: 128 - 139

Ricevuto: 26 ago 2017

Accettato: 03 gen 2018

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/ohs-2018-0014

© 2018 Faculty of Oceanography and Geography, University of Gdańsk, Poland

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