Tracking transparent monogenean parasites on fish from infection to maturity

Trujillo González, Alejandro, Constantinoiu, Constantin C., Rowe, Richard, and Hutson, Kate S. (2015) Tracking transparent monogenean parasites on fish from infection to maturity. International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife, 4 (3). pp. 316-322.

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DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2015.06.002

View at Publisher Website: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijppaw.2015....

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Abstract

The infection dynamics and distribution of the ectoparasitic fish monogenean Neobenedenia sp. (Monogenea: Capsalidae) throughout its development was examined on barramundi, Lates calcarifer (Bloch) (Latidae), by labelling transparent, ciliated larvae (oncomiracidia) with a fluorescent dye. Replicate fish were each exposed to approximately 50 fluorescent oncomiracidia and then examined for parasites using an epifluorescence stereomicroscope at 10 time intervals post-exposure (15, 30, 60, 120 min, 24, 48 h, four, eight, 12, and 16 days). Fluorescent labelling revealed that parasites attached underneath and on the surface of the scales of host fish. Parasite infection success was 20% within 15 min, and peaked at 93% two days post-exposure, before gradually declining between four and sixteen days. Differences in parasite distribution on L. calcarifer over time provided strong evidence that Neobenedenia sp. larvae settled opportunistically and then migrated to specific microhabitats. Parasites initially attached (<24 h) in greater mean numbers on the body surface (13 ± 1.5) compared to the fins (4 ± 0.42) and head region (2 ± 0.41). Once larvae recruitment had ceased (48 h), there were significantly higher mean post-larvae counts on the head (5 ± 3.4) and fins (12 ± 3) compared to previous time intervals. Neobenedenia sp. aggregated on the eyes, fins, and dorsal and ventral extremities on the main body. As parasites neared sexual maturity, there was a marked aggregation on the fins (22 ± 2.35) compared to the head (4 ± 0.97) and body (9 ± 1.33), indicating that Neobenedenia sp. may form mating aggregations.


Item ID:	41488
Item Type:	Article (Research - C1)
ISSN:	2213-2244
Keywords:	Monogenea; Neobenedenia; Capsalidae; development; migration; microhabitat; fluorescent labelling
Additional Information:	© 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of Australian Society for Parasitology. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Funders:	James Cook University (JCU)
Projects and Grants:	JCU Collaboration Across Boundaries grant
Research Data:	http://dx.doi.org/10.4225/28/58c08a9943cf2
Date Deposited:	02 Dec 2015 04:12
FoR Codes:	06 BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES > 0603 Evolutionary Biology > 060307 Host-Parasite Interactions @ 34% 07 AGRICULTURAL AND VETERINARY SCIENCES > 0704 Fisheries Sciences > 070404 Fish Pests and Diseases @ 33% 07 AGRICULTURAL AND VETERINARY SCIENCES > 0707 Veterinary Sciences > 070708 Veterinary Parasitology @ 33%
SEO Codes:	92 HEALTH > 9201 Clinical Health (Organs, Diseases and Abnormal Conditions) > 920109 Infectious Diseases @ 50% 83 ANIMAL PRODUCTION AND ANIMAL PRIMARY PRODUCTS > 8301 Fisheries - Aquaculture > 830199 Fisheries - Aquaculture not elsewhere classified @ 50%
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