Can Morphological Abnormalities of Fish Parasites Be Indicators of Environment Stress? Preliminary ResultsXI
| Authors | |
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| Year of publication | 2004 |
| Type | Article in Proceedings |
| Conference | XI European Congress of Ichthyology |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Keywords | ectoparasite; abnormalities; asymmetry |
| Description | Ectoparasites are in direct contact with both the fish host and its surrounding environment, therefore they could play an important role as sensitive bioindicators of environmental quality. Morphological abnormalities in different species (both hosts and parasites) can be considered as one of those bioindicators. From the beginning of year 2004 twenty gudgeons (Gobio gobio L.) were monthly investigated for metazoan parasites at the Vlára stream (Czech Republic). The monogenean ectoparasites Gyrodactylus spp., Dactylogyrus cryptomeres and Paradiplozoon homoion were abundant species. About 30% of collected individuals of P. homoion showed abnormalities of the attachment sclerites. Abnormalities were not observed on other monogenean parasites. Gudgeons were examined for two metric and eleven meristic bilateral characters for an analysis of asymmetry. Results indicate that the degree of bilateral asymmetry does not change between gudgeons that were infected or uninfected by diplozoons with abnormalities. We also analysed concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and heavy metals in muscle and hepatopancreas of gudgeons and in the bottom sediment and water from the Vlára stream. Concentrations of genotoxic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the sediment were determined as well. Concentrations of all the analysed heavy metals in sediments and water were within limits permitted for water and soil by the Ministry of Environment (Czech Republic). There are no significant differences between PCBs in both muscles and hepatopancreas between gudgeons with and without abnormal P. homoion. |
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