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Anisakid parasites of two forkbeards (Phycis blennoides and Phycis phycis) from the eastern Mediterranean coasts in Tunisia

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Abstract

Two gadiform species with a successive bathymetric and an ecological and economical importance in the Mediterranean fishing industry, Phycis blennoides and Phycis phycis, were selected for the present study. A total of 592 fresh specimens belonging to the Gadiformes genus were obtained from local commercial fisheries. The investigation was centred on anisakid parasites of 272 specimens of the greater forkbeard (P. blennoides) and 320 of the forkbeard (P. phycis) captured off the Mediterranean coasts of Tunisia (eastern Mediterranean Sea). Four species of nematodes were identified: Anisakis simplex s.1., Anisakis physeteris, Hysterothylacium aduncum and Hysterothylacium fabri. The total prevalence was 53.75% in the forkbeard and 51.47% in the greater forkbeard. The highest values of prevalence (38.75%, 2–14), mean intensity (6.74±3.4) and mean abundance (2.61) were all obtained for H. fabri L4 in the forkbeard. The most frequent parasite in the greater forkbeard was H. aduncum L3 with 32.35% (1–3) prevalence and values of 1.21±0.58 and 0.39 for mean intensity and mean abundance, respectively. The infestation parameters were also analysed according to the host length, and prevalence was highest in P. blennoides longer than 35 cm in respect of all anisakid species. Whilst in P. phycis, the highest prevalence, conditioned by H. fabri parasitisation, was found in fish with length reaching a maximum of more than 40 cm. When the data were grouped seasonally, clear patterns were observed for P. blennoides and P. phycis species, with prevalence and mean intensity of all the anisakid species peaking in spring and summer.

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Acknowledgement

The authors are grateful to Dr. Paolo Merrella (University Degli Studi di Sassari) for his help in sample analyses and his assistance in the preparation of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. S/C Khaled Said, Unité de Recherche: Génétique, Biodiversité et Valorisation des Bioressources UR/09-30, Institut Supérieur de Biotechnologie de Monastir, Monastir, 5000, Tunisia

    Sarra Farjallah

  2. Unité de Recherche: Génétique, Biodiversité et Valorisation des Bioressources UR/09-30, Institut Supérieur de Biotechnologie de Monastir, Monastir, 5000, Tunisia

    Badreddine Ben Slimane, Hager Blel, Nabil Amor & Khaled Said

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  1. Sarra Farjallah
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  2. Badreddine Ben Slimane
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  3. Hager Blel
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  5. Khaled Said
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Correspondence to Sarra Farjallah.

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Farjallah, S., Slimane, B.B., Blel, H. et al. Anisakid parasites of two forkbeards (Phycis blennoides and Phycis phycis) from the eastern Mediterranean coasts in Tunisia. Parasitol Res 100, 11–17 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-006-0227-7

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