A preliminary study on gill metazoan parasites of Dentex dentex (Pisces: Sparidae) from the western Mediterranean Sea (Balearic Islands)

Abstract

A preliminary study of the gill parasites from 61 common dentex (Dentex dentex, Pisces, Sparidae) was developed. Seven parasite species were found: one monogenean (Microcotyle erythrini), one udonellidean Udonella caligorum), one digenean trematode (Stephanostomum sp. metacercariae), three copepods (Caligus productus, Caligus diaphanus and Clavellopsis fallax) and one isopod (Gnathia vorax, praniza larvae). Only 1.6% of the fishes examined presented one parasitic species whilst the remainder had two parasitic species (13%), three (26%), four (21%), five (20%) and six different species (18%). The udonellidean U. caligorum was found as a hyperparasite or phoront of the three copepods. Prevalence and other ecological parameters as well as the spatial site of each parasite in the gill tissue are described. The multiparasitic combinations are also examined.