Metazoan parasites and food composition of juvenile Etmopterus spinax (L., 1758) (Dalatiidae, Squaliformes) from the Norwegian Deep

Autor: Klimpel, S.; Palm, H.W.; Seehagen, A.
In:

Parasitology Research

Bandangabe: 89
Gesamttitelundnr1: Metazoan parasites and food composition of juvenile Etmopterus spinax (L., 1758) (Dalatiidae, Squaliformes) from the Norwegian Deep
ISBN: DOI 10.1007/s00436-002-0741-1
Seite: 245 - 251
Jahr: 2003

Einordung:
Institut: Professur Aquakultur und Sea-Ranching

Abstract:
A total of 37 juvenile Etmopterus spinax from
the Norwegian Deep were examined for stomach contents
and metazoan ecto- and endoparasites. These
squaliform elasmobranchs were caught by benthopelagic
net in May 2001 at a depth of 194–214 m. The euphausiid
Meganyctiphanes norvegica and the teleost
Maurolicus muelleri were the principal prey organisms.
With increasing total length of E. spinax, the frequency
of Meganyctiphanes norvegica prey decreased and that of
M. muelleri increased. Seven different metazoan parasite
species were found: adult Monogenea (2), larval and
adult Cestoda (3), and larval Nematoda (2). The predominant
parasites were an unidentified monocotylid
monogenean and the cestode Aporhynchus norvegicus,
with respective prevalences of infestation of 83.8% and
81.1%. The sites of infestation were the gills (Squalonchocotyle
spinacis, Monogenea), nasal cavities
(Monocotylidae indet.), body cavity (Lacistorhynchus
tenuis, Cestoda), stomach wall and organs of the body
cavity (Anisakis simplex, Nematoda), and stomach and
spiral valve (A. norvegicus and Pseudophyllidea indet.,
Cestoda; Hysterothylacium aduncum, Nematoda). No
other metazoan parasite taxa were found, and the
musculature was free of parasites. Five new host and
three new locality records were established. M. muelleri
seems to be an important intermediate host for the
endoparasitic nematodes which were found, with E.
spinax serving as a paratenic host. E. spinax also serves
as an intermediate host for the trypanorhynch cestode
L. tenuis, and as the definitive host for the two monogeneans
and the trypanorhynch A. norvegicus. The latter
uses Meganyctiphanes norvegica as the second intermediate
host in the Norwegian Deep. The relationship
between the feeding ecology, habitat, and vagility of
E. spinax and the resulting parasite fauna is discussed.

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