Some parasites like it cold: parasitological research progress in Prince Gustav Channel, Antarctica
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| Year of publication | 2015 |
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| Description | Parasitological survey on various Antarctic notothenioid fishes and one south polar skua (Catharacta maccormicki) was carried out during the Austral summer seasons 2012-2014. Fish were caught at the Prince Gustav Channel off the Johann Gregor Mendel Station on the James Ross Island. Metazoan parasites belonging to all major groups (Acanthocephala, Cestoda, Crustacea, Digenea, Hirudinea, Monogenea and Nematoda) were recovered. Up to now, the species identification based on morphological and morphometric analyses of taxonomicaly important features has shown the presence of 21 species: two crustaceans (one copepod and one isopod), two hirudineans, seven monogeneans of the genera Gyrodactylus and Pavloskioides and eight digeneans, including seven endemic to Antarctica. The digeneans belonging to the families Hemiuridae, Lepidapedidae and Opecoelidae were morphologically and molecularly characterised and identified. Additionally, nematode specimens were collected from the skua's regurgitated pellet confirmed their identification as Contracaecum osculatum. Ongoing identification of the remaining parasitological material may reveal higher parasite diversity. |
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