Nematode infections in Gobiidae fishes from the Southeast of the Caspian Sea

Objective: The aim of this study was to identify nematodes parasitizing some Gobiides species from the Southeast of the Caspian Sea and to find out the relation between the infection rate and the length and weight of the fishes. Method & Materials: During a parasitological investigation on Gobiidae species from the south-east of Caspian Sea from summer 2006 to spring 2007, altogether 238 different Gobiidae species were examined. The fishes were transferred to the aquatic biology research laboratory of Shahid Beheshti University. Then they identified and examined for parasitic infections. Results & Conclusion: The results were as follows: Neogobius melanostomus was infected with Hysterothylacium aduncum, Raphidascaris acus, Raphidascaroides sp., Cucullanus sphaerocephalus, Cystidicola sp. N. fluviatilis pallasi was infected with C. sphaerocephalus, Cystidicola sp., Dichelyne minutus, Eustrongylides excisus, H.aduncum, R. acus. N. kessleri gorlap was infected with: C. sphaerocephalus, Cystidicola sp., E. excisus, H. aduncum, R. acus. N. bathybius was infected with R. acus, C. sphaerocephalus, E.excisus. According to the results of this study some new hosts were reported; N. melanostomus for Raphidascaroides sp. and C. sphaerocephalus; N. fluviatilis pallasi for C. sphaerocephalus, Cystidicola sp. and H. aduncum; N. kessleri gorlap for C. sphaerocephalus, Cystidicola sp. and H. aduncum; N. bathybius for C. sphaerocephalus, Cystidicola sp., H. aduncum, E. excisus and R. acus. The results of this study also indicated that, Cystidicola sp. and H. aduncum are first report from Iran. The gobiidae fishes are an important food source for acipenser fish and they can retransfer the parasites to them. C. sphaerocephalus is abundant parasite in Acipenseridae of Caspian Sea.

کلیدواژه ها:

Nematode ، Gobiidae ، Caspian Sea