PARASITE INFECTION AND CONDITION STATUS OF NEOGOBIUS KESSLERI (GOBIIDAE) IN ITS NATIVE AND NON-NATIVE AREA OF DISTRIBUTION
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Year of publication | 2007 |
Type | Conference abstract |
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Description | We studied communities of metazoan parasites and condition factors in 3 bighead goby (Neogobius kessleri) populations, representing native (Bulgarian), long-standing non-native (Croatian) and very recent (Austrian section of the Danube River, Europe) areas of bighead goby distribution. Parasite species richness and mean abundance did not differ among fish host populations, although stronger immunological reaction to the dominant parasite species acanthocephalan Pomphorhynchus laevis was found in the non-native Austrian population. Gobies introduced into new areas in the same river system harbour common and widely distributed parasites. Fulton coefficient of condition, liposomatic index and gonadosomatic index (in females) were significantly lower in native Bulgarian population compare to both long-standing and very recent non-native populations, which results could also contribute to the explanation of successful introduction of N. kessleri in the Middle Danube River. |
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