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Spatial distribution of the copepod parasite Lernanthropus kroyeri on the gills of bass, Dicentrarchus labrax (L.)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 May 2009

J. T. Davey
J. T. Davey
Affiliation:
Natural Environment Research Council, Institute for Marine Environmental Research, The Hoe, Plymouth
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Extract

Young estuarine bass of the 1976 and 1977 year classes were examined for gill parasites between February 1978 and June 1979. 344 specimens of the copepod Lernanthropus kroyeri were recovered from 177 of 289 fish. The distribution of the copepods on the gills showed clear preferences for site of attachment. With 48 such sites delineated per fish, 143 of 183 female copepods favoured a single site – the internal face of the medial sector of the posterior hemibranch of the second gill arch. 57 of 161 male copepods chose attachment to the external face of the medial sector of the anterior hemibranch of the second gill arch. Only seven copepods in all were found attached at any of the twelve possible sites on the first gill arch, and none at all at the six possible sites on the posterior hemibranch of the fourth gill arch. Explanations for the observed distribution are discussed in terms of the strength of the branchial ventilation currents over the different gills coupled with observations on the special respiratory adaptations of these parasites.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 60 , Issue 4 , November 1980 , pp. 1061 - 1067
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 1980

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References

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