Metazoan Parasite Faunas of Three Gobiid Species (Actinopterygii: Gobiidae) Inhabiting the Lower Kızılırmak Delta in Samsun: A Comparative Study.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate and compare metazoan parasite faunas of three gobiid fishes, Neogobius fluviatilis, Proterorhinus marmoratus, and Pomatoschistus marmoratus, inhabiting the Lower Kızılırmak Delta.

Methods: Fish specimens were caught using fishing nets and electroshock device. The fishes were transferred to the laboratory and examined under a dissecting microscope for metazoan parasites using conventional methods. The isolated parasites were fixed with 70% ethyl alcohol. The Czekanowski-Sørensen Index (ICS) was used for comparing the metazoan faunas of the three gobiid fishes.

Results: Overall, 13 metazoan parasite species comprising 2 monogeneans (Gyrodactylus proterorhini and Gyrodactylus sp.), 6 digenean metacercariae (Tylodelphys clavata, Diplostomum spathaceum, Apatemon gracilis, Posthodiplostomum sp., Ascocotyle sp., and Echinostoma sp.), 1 cestoda (Bothriocephalus acheilognathi), 3 nematodes (Spiroxys contortus, Eustrongylides excisus, and Contraceacum rudolphii), and 1 arthropoda Ergasilus (sieboldin) were observed. The maximum parasite diversity was found in N. fluviatilis; Po. marmoratus had significantly fewer parasitic species (4). Total parasite abundance was significantly high in Pr. marmoratus, which was infected with 9 parasite species. A closer resemblance was observed in the parasite faunas of N. fluviatilis and Pr. marmoratus (ICS=80.0%).

Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study on metazoan parasite faunas of N. fluviatilis, Pr. marmoratus, and Po. marmoratus in Turkey.