Structure of component parasite communities in the grayling, Thymallus thymallus L. (Salmoniformes, Thymallidae), and minnow, Phoxinus phoxinus L. (Cypriniformes, Cyprinidae), from the upper reaches of the Pechora River

A comparative analysis of parasite communities in the grayling and minnow has been performed. These communities differ in the number of constituent species and in the fact that the community of the minnow is dominated by one allogenic species, whereas that of the grayling usually has two dominants, both being autogenic species. The values of species diversity indices characterizing these communities are also different. Differences between the parasite communities of these fish species reflect the position of their hosts in the hydrobiocenosis. Species prevailing in both communities are classified as specialists, which is characteristic of parasite communities of the boreal-piedmont faunal complex. Both these communities consist of three species groups distinguished by their proportions in the total biomass, which indicates that parasitic communities are structured in a certain way and that the distribution of species in them is not random.