Macro- and micro-morphological comparison of the detailed structure of the oral cavity roof in two different feeding habits marine fishes: Pagrus pagrus and Boops boops.

The feeding habits and habitats of fish influence the morphology of the oral cavity. This study used gross anatomy, light microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy, in addition to morphometric analysis, to investigate the anatomical characteristics of the oral cavity roof in Pagrus pagrus and Boops boops, which have different dietary habits. The oral cavity roof appeared U-shaped and divided into the palate and upper pharyngeal regions. The upper lip of P. pagrus was broad, while B. boops' upper lip was small and thin. Both species had a stratified squamous epithelium with an irregular shape and a folded surface. P. pagrus had a horseshoe-shaped upper velum with a high middle part, and its surface resembled sea waves with obvious mucous-secreting openings with cilia and many folds and grooves between them. B. boops's upper velum was thin and appeared as a triangle pouch with a pointed cranial apex. The palate in both species was narrow in the front and increased in width backward until it ended. The upper pharyngeal teeth in P. pagrus appeared as two patches, separated by a median longitudinal ridge and an anterior V-shape separator. Meanwhile, in B. boops, they appeared as a ball patch on both sides and a separator ridge in the middle. Because P. pagrus fed on harder structures than B. boops, their feeding habits were reflected in the structure of the oral cavity roof. P. pagrus, a carnivorous species, had several rows of sharp upper jaw and upper pharyngeal teeth, thick spinous tubercles on oblique transverse ridges, and massive mucous glands. On the other hand, B. boops, an omnivorous species, had only one row of upper jaw teeth, a few upper pharyngeal teeth scattered on two oval patches, and thin filaments on the oblique transverse ridges.

Parasite communities in a marine fish indicate ecological recovery from the impacts of the Prestige oil-spill 12-13 years after the disaster.

The Prestige oil-spill (2002) is one of the major marine accidents resulting in contamination of virtually all types of marine habitat along c.900 km of coastline in the North-East Atlantic. Environmental pollution affects parasite populations and communities, both directly and through effects on intermediate and definitive hosts. However, the effects of oil-spills on shelf benthic communities are poorly known. This study addressed the hypothesis of recovery of parasite communities in a marine sparid teleost, the bogue Boops boops (L.) (Teleostei: Sparidae), as indicators of environmental pollution and its effects on benthic/pelagic invertebrate communities in an impacted area off the Galician coast, Spain, 12-13 years after the Prestige oil-spill. Novel data for the metazoan parasite communities collected during 2014-2015 were analysed in association with two unique datasets, one comprising baseline data collected in 2001, one year before the Prestige oil-spill, and one comprising data collected 3-4 years post-spill (2005-2006). Using the taxonomically consistent data on parasites in a series of fish seasonal samples, we found significant differences between the two seasonal post-spill datasets taken at a 9-year time interval (3-4 years and 12-13 years post-spill) in most community metrics and infection parameters of the common species. This was in sharp contrast with the few differences between the long-term post-spill dataset of 2014-2015 and the pre-spill dataset of 2001. Multivariate community similarity analyses confirmed that these differences reflected in the substantial differentiation of parasite community composition and structure of the post-spill communities and the significant homogenisation of communities sampled 12-13 years post-spill and baseline communities. Overall, the novel analyses demonstrated a long-term directional trend in parasite community succession towards ecological recovery irrespective of the natural seasonal variability. These findings suggest longer-term oil-spill impacts on shelf benthic/pelagic invertebrate communities lasting over 10 years.

Histological and Chemical Analysis of Heavy Metals in Kidney and Gills of Boops boops: Melanomacrophages Centers and Rodlet Cells as Environmental Biomarkers.

Industrialization has resulted in a massive increase in garbage output, which is frequently discharged or stored in waterways like rivers and seas. Due to their toxicity, durability, bioaccumulation, and biomagnification, heavy metals (such as mercury, cadmium, and lead) have been identified as strong biological poisons. Their presence in the aquatic environment has the potential to affect water quality parameters and aquatic life in general. Teleosts' histopathology provides a sensitive indicator of pollutant-induced stress, because their organs have a central role in the transformation of different active chemical compounds in the aquatic environment. In particular, the gills, kidneys, and liver are placed at the center of toxicological studies. The purpose of this study is to examine the morphological changes caused by heavy metals in the kidney and gills of Boops boops, with a focus on melanomacrophages centers (MMCs) and rodlet cells (RCs) as environmental biomarkers, using histological and histochemical stainings (hematoxylin/eosin, Van Gieson trichrome, Periodic Acid Schiff reaction, and Alcian Blue/PAS 2.5), and immunoperoxidase methods. Our findings show an increase of MMCs and RCs linked to higher exposure to heavy metals, confirming the role of these aggregates and cells as reliable biomarkers of potential aquatic environmental changes reflected in fish fauna. The cytological study of RCs and MMCs could be important in gaining a better understanding of the complicated immune systems of teleosts.

Triple barcoding for a hyperparasite, its parasitic host, and the host itself: a study of Cyclocotyla bellones (Monogenea) on Ceratothoa parallela (Isopoda) on Boops boops (Teleostei).

Cyclocotyla bellones Otto, 1823 (Diclidophoridae) is a monogenean characterised by an exceptional way of life. It is a hyperparasite that attaches itself to the dorsal face of isopods, themselves parasites in the buccal cavity of fishes. In this study, Cy. bellones was found on Ceratothoa parallela (Otto, 1828), a cymothoid isopod parasite of the sparid fish Boops boops off Algeria in the Mediterranean Sea. We provide, for the first time, molecular barcoding information of a hyperparasitic monogenean, the parasitic crustacean host, and the fish host, with COI sequences.

TITLE: Triple code-barre pour un hyperparasite, son hôte parasite et l'hôte lui-même : une étude de Cyclocotyla bellones (Monogenea) sur Ceratothoa parallela (Isopoda) sur Boops boops (Teleostei). ABSTRACT: Cyclocotyla bellones Otto, 1823 (Diclidophoridae) est un monogène caractérisé par un mode de vie exceptionnel. C'est un hyperparasite qui se fixe sur la face dorsale d'isopodes, eux-mêmes parasites dans la cavité buccale de poissons. Dans cette étude, Cy. bellones a été trouvé sur Ceratothoa parallela (Otto, 1828), un isopode cymothoïdé parasite du poisson sparidé Boops boops au large de l'Algérie, en mer Méditerranée. Nous fournissons, pour la première fois, des informations de codes-barres moléculaires d'un monogène hyperparasite, de l'hôte crustacé parasite et de l'hôte poisson, avec des séquences de COI.

Spatial variability and influence of biological parameters on microplastic ingestion by Boops boops (L.) along the Italian coasts (Western Mediterranean Sea).

Recently, many studies focus on the ingestion of microplastics by marine biota. Fish exploit almost every kind of marine environment, occupy many ecological niches and are an important food source for human populations worldwide. For these reasons, they seem to represent very appropriate biological indicators of microplastic ingestion. UNEP/MAP SPA/RAC (2018) identified the bogue, Boops boops (Linnaeus, 1758), as a possible target species for monitoring microplastic ingestion in fish populations. This study provides the first report of microplastic ingestion by B. boops from the Tyrrhenian and the Ligurian Seas (Western Mediterranean Sea). Generalized Linear Mixed Models were used to analyse the relationship among biological parameters and environmental factors. A total of 379 bogues were collected in three Italian regions, subject to different anthropogenic pressures (river input, human population, shipping lanes and distance from the coast). Microplastics were detected in the gastrointestinal tract of most individuals (56%) with a mean of 1.8 (±0.2) microplastics per individual. Our study further confirms that this species is able to highlight differences in the ingestion of microplastics according to local anthropization, resulting Latium region to be the most polluted. Fish with lower physical condition are more likely to ingest microplastics, suggesting a relationship with the level of local environmental contamination. Finally, the ingestion of microplastics might be influenced by behavioural differences between sexes. According to our results, males ingest significantly more microplastics than females (p < 0.05). Our research confirms that an extensive knowledge on the biology of a bioindicator species is a priority for developing a valid monitoring strategy, such as the Marine Strategy Framework Directive for European waters.

Elemental Compositions and Fatty Acid Profiles of Bogue Fish (Boops boops) From Mediterranean Coast: A Comprehensive Evaluation of the Potential Effects on Human Health.

Mersin Coast plays a quite important role in terms of biodiversity and productivity of the Mediterranean marine ecosystem. However, many effects such as industrial, urban, touristic, and agricultural factors cause pollution in this region as in many other coasts. Therefore, this study aims to discuss the potential risks and benefits of the consumption of bogue fish (Boops boops, Linnaeus, 1758) collected from the North-Eastern Mediterranean in terms of fatty acid and metal levels. The results showed that PUFA for winter and spring and SFA for summer and autumn as the predominant fractions were determined. ∑PUFA/∑SFA ratio was higher than the recommended value for each season. In addition, DHA was higher than EPA for all seasons. Nutritional and health values of lipids are maintained throughout a year, except for winter. The concentration of metal levels in the tested muscle was within the permissible limit of the world levels. Fortunately, the calculated estimated weekly intakes of metals (EWIs) were much lower than the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) for all seasons. Thus, human health risks resulting from the consumption of this fish species from Mersin Bay are unremarkable because fish muscles are not active tissues for metal accumulation. Besides, the target hazard quotient (THQ) and the total target hazard quotient (TTHQ) were < 1, indicating that there is no potential health risk for the consumers. Benefit/risk ratios for all seasons were calculated and found to be HQEFA < 1. It was determined that the cancer risk for consumers is quite low, except for heavy consumption cases. As a goal of the study, important information about the effects of seasons on the changes in lipid quality and metal properties of bogue fish was provided and discussed in detailed.

Detection of artificial cellulose microfibers in Boops boops from the northern coasts of Sicily (Central Mediterranean).

Pollution deriving from textile wastes, including industrial and household waste, is recently of great interest due to their environmental impacts. Anthropogenic and synthetic fibers are responsible for negative effects on the quality of water and soil, and, also, their presence damages plant and animal health. In this work, the authors revealed the occurrence of man-made cellulose fibers in specimens of Boops boops from the Northern Sicilian coasts. Bogue was chosen as target species as it has been used as an indicator within the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD 2008/56/EC) in order to value the "microplastics status" in the stomach contents. Of the 30 specimens examined, 63.3% of these had ingested fibers items. The number of fibers ranged from 1 to 10 per specimens with an average of 2.7 items/specimen. Fibers length ranged from 0.5 to 30 mm, most of them were black (95%), and a small percentage was red (5%). The ingestion of man-made cellulose fibers, observed for the first time, in Boops boops in the Mediterranean Sea wake-up call and it should attract the attention of the EU for new guidelines where this new type of contaminant is classified harmful as well as plastics.

Medium-term dynamics of element concentrations in a sparid fish and its isopod parasite after the Prestige oil-spill: Shifting baselines?

Historically, the European Atlantic is probably the most important oil-spill hotspot worldwide. One of the most recent accidents occurred in 2002 when the oil-tanker Prestige sank over the Galician Bank causing two major oil-spills followed by several small leaks until March 2003. This resulted in contamination of virtually all types of marine habitat. Considering that parasites have proved to be good effect and accumulation bioindicators, the present study addresses the medium-term changes in trace element content after the Prestige oil-spill in a model host-parasite system, the bogue, Boops boops (Sparidae) and the isopod Ceratothoa oestroides. To our knowledge, this study is the first to address trace element concentrations in natural fish and parasite populations associated with the effects of an oil-spill. We observed that both test organisms examined, the host and the parasite, indicate a detectable change in the relative composition of trace element concentrations before and after the Prestige oil-spill. Multivariate analyses also indicated a differential response of the different tissues to the temporal sampling sequence. However, analyses of both host and parasite tissues supported the pattern of a gradual temporal transition to a state of relative trace element content distinctly departing from the pre-spill situation. Moreover, the parasite-host element accumulation ratios better depicted this temporal pattern. Additionally, changes in V concentrations in fish liver tissues and Ni concentrations in the parasite tissues suggest that this host-parasite system may be a useful tool to assess these two element contaminations linked to heavy fuel oil-spill.

Ultrastructural study of the spermatozoon of Hemiurus appendiculatus (Digenea, Hemiuroidea, Hemiuridae), a parasite of Boops boops (Pisces, Teleostei, Sparidae) off Senegal.

The mature spermatozoon of Hemiurus appendiculatus exhibits the general pattern described in most of the digenean namely, two axonemes of the 9 + "1" pattern of the Trepaxonemata, a nucleus, a filiform mitochondrion, external ornamentations of the plasma membrane and parallel cortical microtubules located on one side of the spermatozoon. In this study, we show for the second time in a digenean spermatozoon the presence of microtubules of the second axoneme associated each in a short length with an external ornamentation, seven cortical microtubules, a terminal bulge in the anterior spermatozoon extremity separate from the remainder of the spermatozoon by a transverse constriction and the simultaneous presence of the external ornamentation of the plasma membrane with a filamentous ornamentation. The external ornamentations have a differentiated distribution, cover almost the anterior region of the spermatozoon, are more abundant around the first axoneme and extend backwards over a short distance around the second axoneme. This study also allowed us to reveal for the first time the existence in the Hemiuroidea of an axoneme that begins to disrupt before reaching the front end of the mitochondrion.