Infestation and Pathological Alterations by Ergasilus sarsi (Copepoda) on the Tanganyika Killifish from Africa

Abstract

A total of 204 Ergasilus sarsi, a copepod, were collected from Tanganyika Killifish Lamprichthys tanganicanus in Lake Tanganyika during March 2010. The prevalence was 86.40%, the mean intensity was 7.56, and the mean abundance was 6.38. Only 27 of the fish were infested, and the highest infestation on one fish was 29. Proliferation of mucus cells and lamellar fusion occurred. Haemorrhage due to blood vessel compression was noted. This is the first record of E. sarsi from Tanganyika Killifish. This study is also the first to provide a description of the pathological alterations caused by E. sarsi.

Occurrence of the Parasitic Copepod Ergasilus labracis on Threespine Sticklebacks from the South Coast of Newfoundland

“…The typical pathology of ergasilids is hyperplasia of the gills (Einzporn 1965;Paperna andZwerner 1976a, 1982;Fréchet and Dodson 1983;Hogans 1985;Kilian and Avenant-Oldewage 2013). In addition to our predominantly finding E. labracis outside of the gill region, this is only the second report of significant skin lesions being associated with the location of ergasilid attachment to the host and the first report of it occurring in a marine species.…”

“…Another possibility is sampling bias; previous studies of Ergasilus spp. largely report dissecting out the gills without Paperna andZwerner 1976b, 1982;Hogans 1989Hogans , 1991Dezfuli et al 2011;Kilian and Avenant-Oldewage 2013).…”

“…Ergasilid copepods are an important group of parasites that occur globally in marine, brackish, and freshwater habitats (Wilson 1911;Bere 1930;Hudson et al 1994;Paperna 1996;Kilian and Avenant-Oldewage 2013). So far as is known, ergasilid copepods remain free-swimming for the entire lifecycle of males and all developmental stages of females (Wilson 1911;Kabata 1988;Hogans 1991).…”

A comparison of the use of different swab materials for optimal diagnosis of amoebic gill disease (AGD) in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.)

“…The common practice of examining the 2nd gill arch when sampling for pathogens follows from the frequent observation that this arch is the preferred site for many gill‐inhabiting parasites, for example the copepod Ergasilus sarsi (Kilian & Avenant‐Oldewage, 2013). One of the principal determining factors for this is the water current over the gill surfaces which influences the available attachment surface, level of oxygenation and potential for dispersion of disseminules (Crafford, Luus‐Powell, & Avenant‐Oldewage, 2014; Hanek & Fernando, 1978; Kilian & Avenant‐Oldewage, 2013; Suydam, 1971; Turgut, Shinn, & Wootten, 2006). Hence, many gill pathogens tend to colonize the areas of the gill where there is more water flow ( e.g .…”

Avaliação ectoparasitológica, hematológica e histopatológica de traíras Hoplias malabaricus Bloch, 1794 provenientes de açudes localizados no município de Sumé, estado da Paraíba

“…e se correlaciona com a patogenicidade do parasito nos hospedeiros. Uma vez que os ergasilídeos possuem um par de antenas modificadas que envolvem a porção final do filamento branquial, causando compressão do filamento, oclusão e rompimento de vasos sanguíneos (Kilian & Avenant--Oldewage 2013).…”