Dactylogyrus fraternus Wagener, 1909 (Monogenea: Dactylogyridae) Parasitic on Alburnus alburnus (Cyprinidae) from Turkey

Abstract

Dactylogyrus species are a group of monogenean gill parasites that are highly specific to freshwater fishes; represents the most dominant genus among the Monogenea with regard to host distribution and location. They were sampled 14 species from more than 27 host collected in Turkey. Among these dactylogyrid parasites, Dactylogyrus fraternus could be described and illustrated from specimens collected from gills of a cyprinid fish, bleak Alburnus alburnus, in Enne Dam reservoir from Kutahya, Turkey. Diagnostic characters of this species are the tegument of trunk showing annulations, except on the cephalic region, and copulatory complex comprising sclerotized, basal part broad, the tube which is long and hard. The purpose of the present study was to determine, on the whole, the body structure of the Dactylogyrus fraternus in bleak.