Toxic effects of extract from the mouth-parts of Argulus coregoni THORELL (Crustacea: Branchiura)

Abstract

Data suggest that the extract of the mouth-parts of A. coregoni causes hemorrhagic response but has neither hemolytic nor cytotoxic effects. Kabata described a secondary anemia induced by both blood-feeding and non-blood-feeding parasitic crustaceans. The hemorrhagic response seems to facillitate sucking of host blood by the parasite and may cause hemorrhagic anemia to host fish in case of severe infestation.