Metazoan parasites of common sole (Solea solea) and scaldfish (Arnoglossus laterna) (Pleuronectiformes) from Sinop coast of Black Sea

SummaryThe metazoan parasites were investigated of two flatfish the common sole, Solea solea (n:140) and the scaldfish, Arnoglossus laterna (n: 22) in the Sinop coast of Black Sea from June 2015 to June 2017. A total of 15 metazoan parasite species belonging to Digenea (6), Cestoda (3), Acanthocephala (1), Nematoda (4) and Isopoda (1) taxonomic groups were identified. Solea solea was found to be infected by Condylocotyla pilodora, Proctoeces maculatus, Opecoelidae gen. sp., Metadena sp., Stephanostomum sp., Progrillotia sp., Capillaria gracilis, Cucullanus campanae, Solearhynchus rhytidotes and Nerocila orbignyi. Arnoglossus laterna was found to be infected by Lecithochirium musculus and Grillotia erinaceus. Scolex pleuronectis, Hysterothylacium aduncum and Dichelyne minutus were determined in both flatfish. Infection prevalence and mean intensity values were re- corded for each parasite species. Infection values for each parasite species in relation to season and fish size were also determined and compared as comparatively. This study is the first one assessing the metazoan parasites both of S. solea and A. laterna collected from the Turkish coast of Black Sea. While Condylocotyle pilodora and Capillaria gracilis are new parasite records for S. solea, Grillotia erinecaus is new parasite record for A. laterna. Moreover, this paper is the first report on occurrence of Opecoelidae gen. sp., Metadena and Stephanostomum genera in S. solea.

Grillotia erinaceus (van Beneden, 1858) (Cestoda:Trypanorhyncha) from whiting in the Black Sea, with observations on seasonality and host-parasite interrelationship

The genus Grillotia Guiart, 1927 is cosmopolitan in its distribution and the type-species, G. erinaceus (van Beneden, 1858), has been relatively well studied. However, this study provides infection indices of Grillotia erinaceus from southern and northern Black Sea whiting Merlangius merlangus for the first time. The specimens of Grillotia erinaceus were obtained from subserosa of the anterior oesophagus, stomach, pyloric caeca, liver, ovaries and mesenterium of whiting caught by commercial fishing vessels off Sinop, Turkey and off Balaklava, Ukraine. Fish were examined during the period from May 2011 to April 2012. Prevalence and mean intensity values in 268 fish collected off Sinop in the Black Sea were 18.66% and 1.82 ± 0.16 parasites per infected fish, respectively. In Ukrainian 166 whiting samples collected off Balaklava in the Black Sea, however, G. erinaceus plerocercus infection prevalence was 10.24% and mean intensity 1.71 ± 0.75 parasites per infected fish. Infection parameters were also determined at both sampling sites in relation with host length, sex and season.