Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

Parasites of the Deep-Sea Smelt Bathylagus euryops (Argentiniformes: Microstomatidae) from the Charlie-Gibbs Fracture Zone (CGFZ)

ORCID

0000-0002-5280-7071

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Marine Biology Research

ISSN

1745-1000

Publication Date

8-2008

Keywords

Bathylagus euryops, Charlie-Gibbs Fracture Zone, Deep-sea fish, Metazoan parasites

Abstract

The deep-sea smelt Bathylagus euryops, caught in July 2004 at the Charlie-Gibbs Fracture Zone (CGFZ) of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (North Atlantic), was studied for metazoan parasites and diet composition. A total of 86 specimens with standard lengths between 6.4 and 22.1 cm (mean 13.6 cm) were examined. The parasite fauna consisted of five species: three Digenea, one Cestoda and one Nematoda. The predominant parasites were Lecithaster sp. (Digenea) and an unidentified bothriocephalidean cestode. The only nematode, Anisakis sp., occurred with a low prevalence. Bathylagus euryops at CGFZ serves as final host for the three digeneans, and as intermediate host for the cestodes and Anisakis sp. Stomach content analysis revealed a mesozooplankton crustacean diet, while 95.3% of the stomachs contained unidentified tissue.

DOI

10.1080/17451000801907963

Volume

4

Issue

4

First Page

313

Last Page

317

Comments

©2008 Taylor & Francis

Additional Comments

German Research Council grant #: DFG KL 2087/1-1

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Peer Reviewed

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