Prevalence and SEM of Gnathia Larvae (Crustacea; Isopoda; Gnathiidae) Infested Marine Fish Species of Two Families, Labridae and Scaridae, from Suez Gulf, Egypt

Nashaat, Mai; Maghawri, Asmaa

doi:10.21608/ejabf.2024.389785

Prevalence and SEM of Gnathia Larvae (Crustacea; Isopoda; Gnathiidae) Infested Marine Fish Species of Two Families, Labridae and Scaridae, from Suez Gulf, Egypt

Authors

10.21608/ejabf.2024.389785

Abstract

Gnathiids are external parasites that infest both teleost and cartilaginous fish; they have a developmental stage when they are free-living adults, but they also have a parasitic stage known as praniza larvae, which feed on the host blood. The present study focused on recording the prevalence of parasitic infestations in two families, Labridae (Coris aygula with 25% infestation and Cheilinus lunulatus with 60% infestation) and Scaridae (Calotomus viridescense with 16.66% infestation), collected from El Tor City, South Sinai, Egypt. The Gnathia spp. isolated weremostly found attached inside the mouth and beneath the gill arches of fish. Samples were obtained from the host by using forceps from the host and stored in 70% ethanol and 10% formaldehyde for later examinations. The praniza larvae were photographed and identified. The recommendations for later genetic examinations are reported to complete the specific identification and the parasitological map of Suez Gulf fish species.

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