Ultrastructure of Lamproglena pulchella (Copepoda: Lernaeidae), a gill parasite on the freshwater fish, Leuciscus vorax, from Tigris River, Iraq

A. Fahmy, Shereen; Z. Arafa, Salwa; K. Hamdan, Zeyad

doi:10.21608/ejabf.2019.56369

Ultrastructure of Lamproglena pulchella (Copepoda: Lernaeidae), a gill parasite on the freshwater fish, Leuciscus vorax, from Tigris River, Iraq

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

10.21608/ejabf.2019.56369

Abstract

A new record of Lamproglenine copepods, Lamproglena pulchella were collected from the gills of cyprinid freshwater fish Leuciscus vorax from the Tigris River, Iraq in order to investigate the morphological and functional characteristics of their appendages using scanning electron microscope. A maxilliped appears robust, and bears at its apex two subequal curving, claw-like spines. First legs were with a small protuberance on medial margin of the sympod near the base; endopod apparently unsegmented, exopod indistinctly two-segmented, with several setae on lateral margin and single stout seta on apex. Second legs have two segmented rami; endopod unarmed and exopod with single seta on lateral margin of basal segment and three setae at apex. Third and fourth pairs of appendages were similar, with alike rami and with only two setae at the apex of exopod. These appendages are thought to serve as a holdfast for attachment on the gill filament of the tigris fish. Cuticular differentiations found on the body surface of L. pulchella play a secondary role in the attachment of the copepod on its host. Current study microscopy shows that the maxillae of L. pulchella are characteristically prehensile and thus provides an efficient tool for the attachment to the host tissue.

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