IDENTIFICATION OF SOME PARASITES OF FRESHWATER FISHES OF ZANJAN PROVINCE, NORTHWEST IRAN

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

tehran

Abstract

Fish parasites were investigated in Zanjan Province, fishes caught during September 2002 to August 2003. We used cast nets to sample a total of 15-5fish specimens in five stations including Sohrein, Hasan Abdal, Khandagthloo, Sojasrood and Ghezel Uzoon.
the fish specimens were keyed out as Alburnoides bipunctatus, Alburnus filippi, Barbus lacerta, Capoeta capoeta gracilis, Carassius auratus, Ctenopharyngodon idella and Leuciscus cephalus. Fish specimens were transferred alive to the laboratory and kept in five groups of aquariums corresponding to the stations. We then measured fish specimens weight and length, transected their spinal cord and investigated their infection with parasites by microscope and stereomicroscope. Totally, 72 fish specimens were infected with four protozoan parasites Ichthyobodo necatrix, Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, Chilodonella pisicola, Tricodina perforata and 58 fish specimens were infected with two myxosporean and six metazoan parasites Myxobolus cristatus, M.musajevi,Capillaria sp., Neoechinorhynchus rutili, Lernaea cyprinacea, Ergasilus peregrinus, Lamproglena compacta and Tracheliastes longicollis. This is the first report of fish infection with parasites in Zanjan province.

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