Parasites of the eyes of fresh and brackish water fishes in Iran

Document Type : Full paper (Original article)

Authors

1 Senior Expert of Fisheries Sciences, Consultancy Service PVT, Tehran, Iran

2 Department of Food Hygiene and Aquatic Animal Disease, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran

3 Department of Fisheries, Faculty of Natural Resources, Ghaemshahr Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ghaemshahr, Iran

4 Department of Aquatic Animal Disease, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

In the present investigation a total of six parasite species, some eye-specific and others non-organ specific parasites were found in the eyes of 48 examined fish species, collected from fresh and brackish waters of Iran during 2004-2006. Ichthyophthirius multifiliis  was isolated from the external surface of the eyes of Oncorhynchus mykiss, Gyrodactylus stankovici from Cyprinus carpio and Lernaea cyprinacea from Cyprinus carpio and Hypophthalmichthys molitrix. In the vitreous humor parasite species were  Tylodelphys clavata (metacercaria) observed in H. molitrix, Alburnus alburnus, Carassius auratus, Cyprinus carpio Chondrostoma regium, Ctenopharyngodon idella and Capoeta capoeta, and Ornithodiplostomum sp.(metacercaria) in Aphanius vladykovi. Diplostomum spathaceum (metacercaria) was found in the lens of eyes of 40 out of 48 fish species. Among parasite species identified, Tylodelphys clavata and  Ornithodiplostomum sp. are recorded in Iran for the first time. Additionally, the geographical distribution and host range of Diplostomum spathaceum metacercaria is also presented in this study.

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