Parasites of Fish from the Great Lakes - Great Lakes Fishery ...

Parasite Species
ST. MARYS RIVER
Results
Only six studies (Osborn 1903; Osborn 1910; Muzzall 1984; Muzzall and Peebles 1987; Litvinov
et al. 2004; Amin and Muzzall 2009) were found that reported on the parasites of fish from the St.
Marys River. These studies indentified 39 parasite species (3 Ciliophora, 7 adult Digenea, 5
larval/immature Digenea, 1 Monogenea, 7 adult Cestoda, 2 larval/immature Cestoda, 6 adult
Nematoda, 3 larval/immature Nematoda, 4 adult Acanthocephala, 1 Copepoda) in the 26 fish
species from 13 families that were examined (Table 12). Myxozoans, microsporans,
aspidobothreans, leeches, copepods, and molluscs have not been reported.
Protozoans, Digenetic Trematodes, Monogeneans, and Cestodes
Three genera of ciliates (Epistylis, Trichodina, Capriniana) infecting only Notropis atherinoides,
seven species of adult digenetic trematodes, and eight species of larval/immature digenetic
trematodes were reported. Adults of the trematode, Centrovarium lobotes infected six fish
species. Other parasites reported were one species of monogenean, Gyrodactylus sp., and seven
species of adult cestodes (4 species of Proteocephalidae). Many of these parasite species are hostspecific.
At least five species of immature cestodes were found in the intestine with one species,
Proteocephalus sp., occurring in seven fish species.
Nematodes and Acanthocephalans
Six species of adult nematodes in five families and five species of immature nematodes were
found in the digestive tract of fish hosts. Adults of Hysterothylacium brachyurum and immature
individuals of Camallanus oxycephalus infected four and five fish species, respectively. Four
species of adult acanthocephalans were found, with Echinorhynchus salmonis and
Neoechinorhynchus tenellus infecting eight and five fish species, respectively. Immature
individuals of N. tenellus, Pomphorhynchus bulbocolli, and Leptorhynchoides thecatus occurred
in the digestive tract.
Specific parasite species or genera found in individuals of two or more fish families (in
parentheses) were adult digenetic trematodes (Crepidostomum cooperi (2), Centrovarium lobotes
(3), Cryptogonimus chili (2)), larval/immature digenetic trematodes (Azygia sp. (2)),
larval/immature cestodes (Bothriocephalus claviceps (2)), adult nematodes (Hysterothylacium
brachyurum (3), Camallanus oxycephalus (2), Dichelyne cotylophora (2), Spinitectus carolini
(2)), larval/immature nematodes (C. oxycephalus (2)), adult acanthocephalans (Echinorhynchus
salmonis (5), Neoechinorhynchus tenellus (3), Pomphorhynchus bulbocolli (2), Leptorhynchoides
thecatus (2)), and immature acanthocephalans (P. bulbocolli (3)). These 13 helminth species
make up 35% of all parasites reported from fish in this river.
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