AN ANNOTATED SPECIES LIST OF PARASITES FOUND IN EUROPEAN SMELT OSMERUS EPERLANUS (L.)

Abstract

This paper offers a summary of the data on parasites of European smelt based on own collections and materials published in journal reviews, scientific papers, conference proceedings and theses. The system of parasitic organisms published in Catalogues of parasites of freshwater fishes of North Asia [Pugachev, 2001-2004] is used, taking into account new studies on the systematics of infusorians and trematodes. Other groups of parasites are considered within the frameworks of widely used classifications. The species structure of European smelt and its ecological forms follow the classification by L. Berg [1948] and Yu. Reshetnikov [Atlas ..., 2003]. Altogether 65 species/taxa of parasites have been recorded from the distribution range of European smelt (Conoidasida - 1, Haplophasea – 2, Ichthiosporea - 1, Myxosporidia - 1, Phyllopharyngea - 1, Oligohymenophorea – 3, Monogenea - 1, Cestoda - 9, Trematoda - 11, Nematoda - 19, Palaeacanthocephala - 7, Hirudinea - 1, Bivalvia - 1, Crustacea - 7). Each parasite species is briefly described; the species occurrence in different smelt ecoforms, sources for species records (provenance and author) are stated. For higher taxa, we analyzed the taxonomic diversity of smelt parasites, their zoogeographic zoning and distribution, as well as specificity, distinctive morphological, biological and ecological traits.

Keywords

• osmerus eperlanus
• smelt
• parasites
• species list