Authors: Ercument Genc
Publish Date: 2007/05/03
Volume: 101, Issue: 3, Pages: 761-766
Abstract
This is the first detailed documented record of Gnathiid isopod praniza larvae infestating dusky grouper Epinephelus marginatus Lowe 1834 in the northeast Mediterranean Sea 36°36′N–36°07′E 35°52′N–36°25′E Fish were sampled monthly from Iskenderun Bay during a 3year period from 2000 to 2003 N = 468 W ± SD range = 50369 ± 34235 g 177–2832 g TL ± SD range = 3239 ± 922 cm 161–670 cm W total = 0213L total 219 r total 2 = 085 Juveniles of the Gnathia sp were only extracted from the epithelium of the buccal cavity The monthly and seasonal patterns in infestation rates mean prevalence P = 2735 and mean intensity MI ± SD = 2135 ± 1619 and the relationship between length–weight and infested/noninfested fish were calculated This study suggests that gnathiid parasite has no effect on the growth and general health condition of infested fish although high intensities were observed in fishI wish to thank the staff at Sirinyer Ltd Iskenderun for their help throughout this research and Dr M Ayce Genc Dr M Fatih Can Dr Yavuz Mazlum Dr Mustafa Oral and Dr Soner Soylu Mustafa Kemal University for their technical comments This work was supported in part by grant from the Scientific Research Fund of Mustafa Kemal University and Cukurova University
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