Metazoan parasites of the eel, Anguilla anguilla (L.) in the Szczecin Lagoon and River Odra mouth area

Abstract

A total of 183 eel, Anguilla anguilla (L.), individuals (measuring 34-84 cm l.t.) caught from five areas of the Szczecin Lagoon and the River Odra mouth area were examined. They were found to house 13 parasitic species, three of which (Bothriocephalus claviceps, Proteocephalus macrocephalus, and Ergasilus sieboldi) being frequent. Acanthocephalus lucii was a relatively frequent parasite, too. The remaining 9 species, i.e., Azygia lucii, Deropristis inflata, Ichthyocotylurs platycephalus (metacercariae), Raphidascaris acus, Camallanus lacustris, Eustrongylides excisus (larva), Acanthocephalus anguillae, Ergasilus gibbus, and Argulus foliaceus were rather rare. The areas the fish were obtained from differed to some extent in the degree of infection. The lowest number of parasites was found off Lubin (5 species) and in the Odra mouth area (6 species), while fishing grounds off Trzebież yielded the highest number of parasitic species (12). The differences are related to environmental conditions being different in the individual areas.