Crustacean parasites of fishes in Lake Kariba,Zimbabwe, preliminary results |
| |
Authors: | L Douëllou K H Erlwanger |
| |
Institution: | (1) University Lake Kariba Research Station, P.O. Box 48, Kariba, Zimbabwe |
| |
Abstract: | During a survey of fish ectoparasites in Lake Kariba (Zimbabwe), two crustaceans were often encountered. Dolops ranarum (Branchiura), parasite of the body, mouth and gill chamber, infected mostly cichlids, the catfish Clarias gariepinus, Synodontis zambezensis and two Mormyrids. Among cichlids clear host preferences were shown. No seasonal variations could be detected in the infections. D. ranarum parasitized predominantly fish above 15 cm in standard length. Lamproglena monodi (Copepoda) parasitized only the gills of cichlids with a preference for Serranochromis codringtonii, S. macrocephalus and Tilapia rendalli. Small fish were seldom infected. Seasonal variations of the prevalence occurred, the hot season being the less favourable. Few other crustaceans were found during the survey: a single specimen of Lamproglena hemprichii on the gills of the tigerfish, Hydrocynus vittatus; three specimens of Afrolernaea longicollis, one found on the gills of Hippopotamyrus discorhynchus and two on the gills of Mormyrops deliciosus; a hundred of Ergasilus mirabilis in a specimen of H. discorhynchus. |
| |
Keywords: | parasitic crustaceans Dolops ranarum Lamproglena monodi Lake Kariba Southern Africa |
本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|