Gyrodactylid monogeneans are considered to be the most invasive fish parasites. They are omnipresent on teleost fishes and host change might play a crucial role in their biology. In the present study, related fish species were kept in single- or mixed-species groups to test the ability of Gyrodactylus species to change their host fish under experimental conditions. The first group included two percid fish species, perch Perca fluviatilis L. and ruffe Gymnocephalus cernuus (L.), and the second group two cyprinid species, roach Rutilus rutilus (L.) and minnow Phoxinus phoxinus (L.). A total of 4,182 specimens of 19 monogenean species belonging to five genera were observed, and eight species of Gyrodactylus were identified. There were three species of Gyrodactylus found on roach and six species on minnow. Gyrodactylus vimbi parasitized both cyprinid fish species and was the only species that increased in intensity during the experiments and also assumed to transmit from minnow to roach, while the other recorded host change case, Gyrodactylus macronychus, was represented by a single individual that transmitted from minnow to roach. Gyrodactylus rutilensis and Gyrodactylus pannonicus remained on their original hosts (roach and minnow, respectively). Gyrodactylus cernuae was the only species observed on both ruffe and perch, but ruffe appeared more susceptible to this parasite. Most of the gyrodactylids observed on roach and minnow were situated on the fins, while gyrodactylids of perch and ruffe parasitized mainly the gill chamber and head.

Department of Botany and Zoology Faculty of Science Masaryk University Kotlárská 2 611 37 Brno Czech Republic

Zobrazit více v PubMed

Parasitology. 2007 Apr;134(Pt 4):589-97 PubMed

Int J Parasitol. 1997 Sep;27(9):1091-8 PubMed

Int J Parasitol. 2002 Mar;32(3):309-19 PubMed

Parasitology. 2000 Jan;120 ( Pt 1):57-64 PubMed

J Parasitol. 1997 Dec;83(6):1025-9 PubMed

Parasitology. 2002 Jan;124(Pt 1):39-52 PubMed

Parasitol Today. 1989 Sep;5(9):298 PubMed

J Parasitol. 2005 Oct;91(5):1000-7 PubMed

Int J Parasitol. 2002 Mar;32(3):281-308 PubMed

Int J Parasitol. 2001 May 15;31(7):738-45 PubMed

Int J Parasitol. 2000 Mar;30(3):305-20 PubMed

Syst Parasitol. 2005 Mar;60(3):159-64 PubMed

Parasitology. 1991 Feb;102 Pt 1:105-12 PubMed

Int J Parasitol. 1991 Sep;21(5):565-72 PubMed

Syst Parasitol. 2004 Sep;59(1):1-27 PubMed

Parasitology. 1995 Jul;111 ( Pt 1):87-94 PubMed

Parasitol Res. 1998 Sep;84(9):753-6 PubMed

Int J Parasitol. 2007 May;37(6):663-72 PubMed

Int J Parasitol. 1992 Sep;22(6):753-8 PubMed

Syst Parasitol. 2003 May;55(1):39-52 PubMed

J Helminthol. 1998 Mar;72(1):9-14 PubMed

J Parasitol. 1997 Aug;83(4):575-83 PubMed

Folia Parasitol (Praha). 1990;37(2):113-4 PubMed

Int J Parasitol. 1994 Dec;24(8):1227-71 PubMed

Consequent effects of the great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis) predation on parasite infection and body condition of common carp (Cyprinus carpio)