Bopyrid isopods parasitizing on the cultured fresh water prawn, Macrobrachiummalcolmsonii in South India.

The bopyrid isopods are common in wild Macrobrachium spp. but not common in aquaculture condition. This is the first study that reports the parasitizing of bopyrid isopods on the cultured M. malcolmsonii. Bopyrid isopod (Probopyrus buitendijki) was identified in the branchial cavities of the fresh water prawn, M. malcolmsonii from grow-out culture pond at Kuriyamangalam, India. Macrobrachium malcolmsonii is a new host for P. buitendijki. A total of 1323 M. malcolmsonii were checked for this study. The overall prevalence of the parasitic infestation was reached 46.2 %. The parasitic infection was higher in female (83 %) than in male (3.4 %). Highest prevalence of infestation was found in the median size group (7-8 cm) (58.7 %). Infected females were not berried unlike uninfected prawns. The parasites cause infertility and does not found any organ deformities due to the infestation. The parasite was inversely attached in the gill chamber with no lesion on the gill but the infected branchial chamber became bulged.

Observation on an isopod parasitizing the edible fish Parastromateus niger in the Parangipettai coast of India.

Cymothoidae are big parasites on fishes and often they are host specific. This study reports that in India, the Black pomfret (Parastromateus niger), a highly edible marine fish belonging to the family Carangidae, is the type host of Cymothoa eremita (Isopoda, Cymothoidae). Among one hundred and sixty fish examined from April to July, 2010 in Parangipettai coastal waters, only three female specimens were infested in June, 2010. It seems that such parasitism depends particularly on the season and on the host sex.

New records of two parasitic cymothoids from Indian fishes.

Two parasitic cymothoidae (Crustacea, Isopoda) are reported parasitizing fishes Hemiramphidae in India. Ceratothoa angulata, found in the buccal cavity of its host, is reported for the first time from India. Mothocya plagulophora, a branchial species, already known from the Southwest coast, is now recorded from the Southeast coast of India. Host-parasite relationships are considered.

Identification of Parapenaeopsis stylifera, a new host for Epipenaeon ingens.

Epipenaeon ingens (Isopoda: Bopyridae) is reported for the first time from Parapenaeopsis stylifera (Decapoda: Penaeidae) in South India. According to the month the parasitic prevalence ranged from 0.0 to 2.9%. A characteristic bulge of the branchial chamber growth retardation and degenerated sex organs were observed in the infested shrimp.

On the occurrence of a double parasitism (copepod and isopod) on the anchovy fish in India.

A double parasitism (isopod and copepod) on anchovy fish, Stolephorus commersonii Lacepede, 1803 was recorded from Parangipettai (India) coastal waters during June, 2004. This is the first report from this region and the infestation is discussed in relation to environmental parameters in this short communication.

Cymothoa indica (Crustacea, Isopoda, Cymothoidae) parasitizes the cultured larvae of the Asian seabass Lates calcarifer under laboratory conditions.

Parasitic disease in fishes is one of the most important factors limiting aquaculture production and its economic viability. Cymothoa indica, a cymothoid isopod, is reported here for the first time parasitizing cultured larvae of the Asian seabass Lates calcarifer in India. Fourteen-day-old L. calcarifer larvae of mean weight 8.73 +/- 0.03 mg were fed with wild zooplankton in the laboratory. On Day 14 of rearing, larvae were found parasitized by cymothoids. Infected larvae reached a mean (+/- SE) weight of 98.86 +/- 0.30 mg, while uninfected specimens weighed 117 +/- 0.43 mg at the end of the experiment (Day 21). C. indica occurred in the branchial and anterodorsal regions of infected fish, where resultant skin lesions were red, hemorrhagic, without scales and with abundant secreted mucus. The cumulative mortality over the 3 wk period was 16.54 %. These parasites are transferred to the host via the zooplankton used as food; this could easily be overcome, either by filtering wild zooplankton to remove the infectious swimming larvae of C. indica or by using cultured copepods.

First record of Cymothoa indica (Crustacea, Isopoda, Cymothoidae) infecting the cultured catfish Mystus gulio in India.

Cymothoa indica (Isopoda, Cymothoidae) is reported parasitizing the long-whiskered catfish Mystus gulio, cultured in an experimental cage in India. The specimens observed were adult males and females, which had mainly settled in the buccal cavity of juvenile catfish. The species was previously known from wild populations of Siganidae and Belonidae, but this is the first record of C. indica parasitizing the cultured long-whiskered catfish. Serious lesions, typical of a crustacean infection, were macroscopically visible inside the buccal cavity. The cumulative mortality, over a period of 10 d, was 100%. The parasitic problem was not successfully dealt with, due to an unexpected prevalence and very swift mortality.

Cymothoid parasite Ceratothoa parallela inflicts great losses on cultured gilthead sea bream sparus aurata in Greece.

For the first time Ceratothoa parallela (Otto, 1828), a cymothoid isopod, is reported parasitizing cage-cultured gilthead sea bream Sparus aurata, in Greece. The specimens observed are larvae (Pullus secundus). They were found in the branchial and buccal cavity of young gilthead sea bream of 2 g mean body weight, upon introduction in the cages in an intensive cage farm facility. The species was previously known from several species of wild fish, particularly Sparidae (chiefly Boops boops) in the Mediterranean Sea, Adriatic Sea and Atlantic Ocean. However, this is the first documentation of this parasite in cage-cultured gilthead sea bream. Serious lesions were macroscopically visible and typical of a crustacean infection. The cumulative mortality over a 2 mo period was over 50%. The parasitic problem was not successfully dealt with due to high stocking densities and the non removal of the dead fishes, resulting in constant reinfection.

[The Cymothoidae (isopod parasites of marine fishes) of the coast of Tunisia: ecology and parasitological index]. / Les Cymothoidae (Isopodes parasites de poissons) des côtes tunisiennes: écologie et indices parasitologiques.

The study of the cymothoid isopod parasites on marine fishes from Tunisian localities has allowed us to distinguish eight species, seven of which have already been recorded and one, Mothocya epimerica which is new to the region. New hosts for Cerathotoa parallela and Nerocila orbignyi are reported. For each parasite species collected, the host fish, the parasitic specificity and the parasitological index are given.

[Crustacean parasites and epizoa of the sperm whale, Physeter catodon Linnaeus, 1758 (cetacea, Odontoceti), in the Gulf of Lion (Western Mediterranean)]. / Crustacés parasites et épizoïtes du Cachalot, Physeter catodon Linnaeus, 1758 (Cetacea, Odontoceti), dans le golfe du Lion (Méditerranée occidentale).

The authors point out for the first time, fixation of the Cirriped Conchoderma virgatum (Spengler, 1790) on an Amphipod Cyamid parasite of a young sperm-whale, Physeter catodon Linnaeus, 1758, stranded on the gulf of Lion coast (Western Mediterranean). Using the scanning electron microscope, they furnish precisions on the morphology and they furnish some observations concerning reproduction and biogeography of this Amphipod, Neocyamus physeteris (Pouchet, 1888).

Ontogeny of intracellular isosmotic regulation in the european lobster Homarus gammarus (L.).

Intracellular free amino acids were measured in the abdominal muscle of the three larval instars, postlarvae, and juveniles of the lobster Homarus gammarus, acclimated to seawater (35 per thousand) and to a dilute medium (22 per thousand), to study intracellular isosmotic regulation throughout the development of this species. Transfer to low salinity was followed by a highly significant drop of free amino acids level in all developmental stages. The main regulated amino acids were glycine, proline, and alanine. The level of regulation of total free amino acids changed at metamorphosis: the decrease in total free amino acids at low salinity was 46% in the three larval instars, but it was only 29% in postlarvae and 20% in juveniles. These results suggest that free amino acids, mainly glycine, proline, and alanine, are involved in intracellular isosmotic regulation in the lobster, with different levels of involvement in pre- and postmetamorphic stages. The ontogenetic changes in intracellular isosmotic regulation are discussed in relation to the changes in extracellular regulation (osmoregulation) in the lobster.

First record of Emetha audouini, a cymothoid isopod parasite, from cultured sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax in Greece.

For the first time, Emetha audouini (Milne Edwards, 1840), a cymothoid isopod, is reported parasitising cage cultured sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax L., 1758 in Greece. The specimens observed are larvae (Pulli II). They were found in great numbers in the buccal and branchial cavity of young (3.5 m.o. old) sea bass, in an intensive cage farm facility. This parasite is certainly transferred to sea bass from wild populations of Sparidae or Centracanthidae. Serious lesions were visible and typical of a crustacean infection, with extensive and deep skin damage in the head area. The cumulative mortality, over a 2 wk period, was 10.75%. The parasitic problem was successfully dealt with by optimization of management practices rather than use of costly and dangerous chemotherapeutants.

The effects of dietary astaxanthin on the carotenoid pattern of the prawn Penaeus japonicus during postlarval development.

Penaeus japonicus postlarvae, reared under laboratory conditions, were fed an astaxanthin enriched diet to the investigate carotenoid metabolic capabilities during the postlarval development. Animals fed astaxanthin were found to absorb this carotenoid. The decrease of pigment concentration in the carotenoid starved group is related to the duration of the experimental feeding conditions; the carotenoid depletion depends upon the postlarval status at the starting point. As has been shown for adult prawns, the carotenoid pattern of postlarval stages, regardless of the diet, consists mainly of free and esterified astaxanthin; the relative amounts of these fractions undergo slight variations depending on the diet.

Stimulation of osmoregulating processes in the perfused gill of the crab Pachygrapsus marmoratus (Crustacea, Decapoda) by a sinus gland peptide.

Isolated posterior gills of the hyper-hyporegulating crab Pachygrapsus marmoratus were perfused with extracts of homologous sinus glands. Sinus gland extracts stimulated the influx of Na+ ions and increased the transepithelial potential difference in the gills in a dose-dependent and reversible fashion. The bioactivity of extracts prepared from crabs that had been acclimated to 10/1000 salinity for at least 1 week was not significantly different from that of extracts prepared from seawater (36/1000 salinity) crabs. The perfusion experiments with both extracts containing two sinus glands significantly increased Na+ influx by about 150% and transepithelial potential difference by about 45%. Sinus gland extracts also increased the Na+/K(+)-ATPase activity by 54% in incubated posterior gills. The bioactivity of extracts was reduced by pronase and trypsin, but not by heating for 10 min at 100 degrees. The molecular weight of the responsible factor(s) was > 5000 Da. Thus, the sinus gland of P. marmoratus is concluded to be involved in the neuroendocrine control of osmoregulation and to contain a peptide(s) that directly influences brachial function.

Ontogeny of Osmoregulatory Structures in the Shrimp Penaeus japonicus (Crustacea, Decapoda).

The ontogeny of differentiated osmoregulatory epithelia in the branchial chamber (gills, branchiostegite, pleura, epipodite) was studied by transmission electron microscopy throughout the postembryonic development of Penaeus japonicus. These epithelia are characterized by typical cytological features, including apical microvilli and numerous basal infoldings associated with mitochondria. Differentiated osmoregulatory structures are not observed in the early larval stages: nauplii and zoea 1. In the next larval stages, zoeas and mysis, gills and epipodites are developed as buds only, but osmoregulatory epithelia are observed in the branchiostegites and pleurae. The differentiated structures of the branchiostegites and pleurae are still present in postlarvae but disappear in juveniles and adults. Gills and epipodites develop progressively in the postlarval stages, with early differentiation of osmoregulatory epithelia in the epipodites. In juveniles and adults, the gill epithelium is poorly differentiated; in contrast, abundant differentiated osmoregulatory structures are observed in the epipodites. Ontogenetical comparisons of these observations with previous studies in the same species reveal strong correlations between the development of osmoregulatory epithelia, the ability to osmoregulate, the activity of Na+-K+ ATPase, and salinity tolerance during the postembryonic development of Penaeus japonicus.

[Cymothoadian parasitosis of the sea-dace (Dicentrarchus labrax Linnaeus 1758) during breeding. II. Parasitic ecophysiology in the Diana pond (upper Corsica)]. / Parasitoses à cymothoadien chez le loup (Dicentrarchus labrax Linnaeus, 1758) en élevage. II--Ecophysiologie parasitaire dans le cas de l'étang de Diana (Haute-Corse).

This study deals with the problem of some aspects of the influence of infestation by an hematophagous parasite Nerocila orbignyi (Crustacean, Isopoda, Cymothoidae) on sea-bass (Dicentrarchus Labrax, L. 1758) ecophysiology, reared in the pond Diana (Corsica). We can summarise results as: decrease in body condition, in weight, in levels blood protein, blood lipids and triglycerides; but increase in levels blood urea. We too observe hypochromic macrocytic anemia with increase in eosinophils, neutrophils and a decrease in lymphocytes. When parasitism decrease, we remark improvement of body condition and biometry characteristics; an increase in level blood protein, lipid, cholesterol and a decrease in the level blood urea. We remark erythropoiesis stimulation.

[Some aspects of nutritional mechanisms in the isopod Ceratothoa oestroides Risso, 1826 parasite of fishes (author's transl)]. / Quelques aspects des mécanismes nutritionnels chez l'isopode Cymothoidae: Ceratothoa oestroides (Risso, 1826).

Some nutritional mechanisms of the isopod Cymothoidae Ceratothoa oestroides, haematophagic parasite of the teleostean sparid fish Boops boops have been studied in female sexual phase individuals. The study of qualitative (hepatopancreas repletion, different colouration) and quantitative variations (weight variations-) of digestive tract and its appendages has permitted to observe that blood absorption is close related to sexual developmental stages and intermolt cycle. The general pattern seems as follows: food intake is made prior or just before vitellogenesis and after releasing of "pulli". The use of ingested nutriments and reserves allow vitellogenesis and intramarsupium larval development. We have also tried to investigate if it does exist a mechanism starting blood absorption and attempted to elucidate its nature. A such mechanism seems indeed to exist, it might have been partially dependent upon a stimulus such as osmotic pressure or ionic composition of host blood. Moreover, chemoreceptors activity is envisaged those could likely occur as bucal appendages, bucal cavity or even the oesophagian region of parasites.

[Metazoan parasites of Boops boops (Linnaeus, 1758) (Teleostean Sparidae) in the "Golfe du Lion", faunistic and ecology (author's transl)]. / Faunistique et ecologie des metazoaires parasites de Boops boops linnaeus (1758) (Teleosteen Sparidae) dans le Golfe du Lion.

A global study of the Metazoan parasites of Boops boops (L., 1758) have been made in the "golfe du Lion". Fourteen different species (eight Platyhelmintha, one Nematoda and five Crustacea) have been inventorized. Their respective localisation on the hosts, globals and specifics corresponding prevalences as well as their variations according to the size of the fish, and their abundance have been precised. Parasitics associations have also been examined.

[Influence of the cymothoid isopods Meinertia oestroides, Meinertia parallela, and Anilocra physodes (Crustacea; parasites of fish) on the growth of hosts, Boops boops and Pagellus erythrinus (Sparidae) (author's transl)]. / Influence des cymothoadiens Meinertia oestroides, Meinertia parallela et Anilocra physodes (Crustacés, Isopodes; parasites de poissons) sur la croissance des poissons hôtes Boops boops et Pagellus erthyrinus (Sparidés).

Studies of weight-size (W = aLb) and growth (L = aT + b) in fish (Boops boops and Pagellus erythrinus), potential hosts of some Cymothoid isopods (Meinertia oestroides, Meinertia parallela, and Anilocra physodes) have been performed. Infested fishes show a slight decrease in weight compared to normal fish. Cymothoid do not exert a significant influence on the weight-size ratio; on the other hand, a delay in growth does occur.