Basrah Journal of Veterinary Research,Vol.17, No.3,2018
Proceeding of 6th International Scientific Conference,College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Basrah,Iraq
799
FIRST RECORD OF Sprostoniella multitestis CHOWSKY et NAGIBINA,
1967 (MONOGENEA: CAPSALIDAE) FROM Platax teira AND P.
orbicularis (PISCES: EPHIPPIDAE) FROM MARINE WATERS OF
IRAQ
Suzan A. Al-Azizz*, Khalidah S. Al-Niaeem**, Hayder A. H. Al-Hasson***
* Department of Microbiology and Veterinary Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine,
University of Basrah, Basrah, Iraq
** Department of Fisheries and Marine Resources, College of Agriculture, University of
Basrah, Basrah, Iraq
***Education Directorate of Basrah, Iraq
Key words: Monogenea, Sprostoniella multitestis, Platax teira.
Corresponding Author: kalidah_salim@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT
During the period from January 2014 to the end of July 2014, a total of 21 fishes belonging
to two species of the family Ephippidae (Platax teira and P. orbicularis) were captured from
Iraqi marine waters, northwest Arab Gulf. The study revealed the existence of one species of
monogenean, Sprostoniella multitestis from gills of both fish species. The record of S.
multitestis in the present study is considered as the first record in the Iraqi territorial waters of
the Arab Gulf and both P. teira and P. orbicularis are new host records for this parasite in the
Arab Gulf.
INTRODUCTION
All living organisms, including fishes in nature or farms, can be exposed to the parasites.
Fishes in nature are infected with a great variety of parasites, includes protozoans,
monogeneans, trematodes, cestodes, nematodes, acanthocephalans and crustaceans [1].
However, in times of stress, resistance of fishes against parasitic infections is often lowered
and some parasites may greatly increase in abundance and affect the health of the fish. In this
situation, fish will often lose condition and become susceptible to predation, or may even die
from the effect of the parasites [2].
Among the major groups of fish parasites, monogeneans are the most important group as
they cause severe damage to skin and gills, especially for carp fingerlings under extensive fish
Basrah Journal of Veterinary Research,Vol.17, No.3,2018
Proceeding of 6th International Scientific Conference,College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Basrah,Iraq
800
culture practice, their direct life cycles and fish crowding are good conditions for their easy
spread among fishes, and hence, they cause fish death and mass mortalities associated with
large economical losses [3].
Some information about the monogeneans of Iraqi marine fishes are available. Information
reported in such investigations included the seasonal changes of infection with host age, site
of attachment, geographic distribution and correlation of infection with host sex [1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
6, 7, 8]. The main purpose of the present investigation is to document the first record of the
monogenean Sprostoniella multitestis on two fish species from marine waters of Iraq.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A total of 21 fish specimens were collected by fishermen using trawl net monthly, during
the period from January 2014 to the end of July 2014, which belong to two perciform species:
Platax orbicularis (Forsskål, 1775) and Platax teira (Forsskål, 1775). They were taken from
Iraqi marine waters, northwest Arab Gulf (latitudes 47° 30′ to 48° 15′; N 30° 50′ to 30° 00′ E).
Fishes were identified according to [9] and updated according to [10]. Vigorously moving
worms were separated from the gills with a pipette and samples for light microscopy were
handled according to [11].
RESULTS
The following is a brief systematic account of S. multitestis..
Phylum Platyhelminthes
Class Monogenea
Order Capsalidea
Family Capsalidae
Sprostoniella multitestis Chowsky et Nagibina, 1967
Hosts: P. teira and P. orbicularis
Site of infection: Gills.
Prevalence of infection: 57% and 71% for P. teira and P. orbicularis, respectively.
Mean intensity: 14 and 10.6 for P. teira and P. orbicularis, respectively.
Materials deposition: 2 voucher specimens were deposited in the Natural History Museum,
London, accessions NHMUK 2014.3.20.1-2.
Description and measurements (based on four specimens).
Basrah Journal of Veterinary Research,Vol.17, No.3,2018
Proceeding of 6th International Scientific Conference,College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Basrah,Iraq
801
Body 3.2-8.3 (5.75 mm.) in total length, elliptical, greatest width 1.0-2.6 (2.1 mm.), four
eyes with trapezoidal arrangement, haptor1.3-2.2 (1.5 mm.) in diameter. Testes, 146.4-348
(256 mm.) in diameter, in two groups, left group with 8-11 testes, right group with 9-10 testes,
first pair of anchors is developed and strong (Plate 1, Fig. 1).
Plate (1). Sprostoniella multitestis
A: Whole mounting, 20X; B: Before staining, 40X.
Basrah Journal of Veterinary Research,Vol.17, No.3,2018
Proceeding of 6th International Scientific Conference,College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Basrah,Iraq
802
Fig. (2). Sprostoniella multitestis (Scale bar= 1.3 mm.).
DISCUSSION
The parasitism is the most common lifestyle on the planet and understanding its role in the
environment may help researchers to understand changes in a given fish population or stream
ecosystem. The resultant hypertrophy of the underlying epithelial layer reducing the surface
area for effective respiration could lead to suffocation, particularly at high temperature,
furthermore, fish parasites cause commercial losses in both the aquaculture and fisheries
industries [2]. Also, they may have human health issues, as well as a socio-economic
implication.
[12] described S. multitestis from Platax pinnatus which has the diagnostic characters of
this genus with two neighboring groups of testes and structure of loculi of the haptor from
Pacific waters. [13] described Sprostoniella micrallcyra from Chaetodipterus faber off the
Brazilian coast. The third species: S. lamothei was described from the gills of Chaetodipterus
zonatus in Chamela Bay, on the west coast of Mexico ([14]. Based on single specimen of
parasite, [15] described S. teria from Platax teira from Iraqi marine waters. According to
[16], the latter species is considered invalid. Unfortunately, the holotype of S. teria was not
deposited in any museum. [17] prepared an up-to-date check lists of all monogeneans
Basrah Journal of Veterinary Research,Vol.17, No.3,2018
Proceeding of 6th International Scientific Conference,College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Basrah,Iraq
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parasitic on freshwater and marine fishes of Basrah province. Among such 54 monogenean
taxa, no capsalid species have been recorded from Iraq, and hence, the present record is
considered as the first one for this parasite from P. teira in Iraq, and P. teira is considered as a
new host record.
من Sprostoniella multitestis Chowsky et Nagibina, أول تسجیل لأحادی المنشأ 1967
من عائلة أسماک P. orbicularis و Platax teira من کل من سمکتی Capsalidae عائلة
فی المیاه البحریة فی العراق Ephippidae الخفاش
سوزان عبد الجبار عبدالعزیز*، خالدة سالم النعیم** ,حیدر علی حسین الحسّون***
* فرع الأحیاء المجھریة والطفیلیات البیطریة، کلیة الطب البیطری، جامعة البصرة، البصرة، العراق
** قسم الأسماک والثروة البحریة، کلیة الزراعة، جامعة البصرة، البصرة، العراق
*** مدیریة تربیة البصرة، البصرة، العراق
الخلاصة
أثناء المدة من شھر کانون الثانی ٢٠١٤ ولغایة نھایة شھر تموز ٢٠١١٤ ، تم صید مامجموعھ ٢١ نموذجا من نوعین
من المیاه البحریة العراقیة، شمال غرب P. orbicularis و Platax teira من الأسماک العائدة لعائلة أسماک الخفاش ھما
P. وسمکة Platax teira الخلیج العربی. کشفت الدراسة عن وجود نوع من أحادیة المنشأ، على غلاصم سمکة
ویعدّ تسجیل ھذا الطفیلی فی الدراسة الحالیة بمثابة أول تسجیل فی المیاه الأقلیمیة العراقیة من الخلیج .orbicularis
العربی، وتعد تلک السمکتین مضیّفین جدیدین لھذا الطفیلی فی الخلیج العربی.
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