Seasonal variation of Hysterothylacium aduncum (Nematoda: Raphidascarididae) infestation in sparid fishes in the Northeast Mediterranean Sea

Abstract

The presence of a Raphidascarid parasitic nematode Hysterothylacium aduncum(Rudolphi, 1802) in the sparid fish Sparus aurata and Diplodus vulgaris was investigated in this study. A total of 471 individuals (208 Sparus aurata and 263 Diplodus vulgaris) collected for this purpose from the Gulf of Mersin between May 2003 and April 2004 were examined. Seasonal variation in the intensity (MI: mean ± SD) and prevalence (P: %) of the parasite were also determined and the highest P and MI values were found in June 2003 (3.5 ± 0.71 and 8.70%) for S. aurata and March 2004 (4.0 ± 0 and 19.5%) for D. vulgaris. © TÜBİTAK.