Caligus cybii (Caligidae, Copepoda) Parasitising the Commercially Exploited Seer Fish, Scomberomorus commerson, from the Malabar Coast (India)- Occurrence and Adaptations

Özet

The paper presents a first time report on the host specific parasitic occurrence of copepod, Caligus cybii, on the barredseer fish, Scomberomorus commerson distributed along the Malabar Coast, India. Of 81 fish species belonging to 35 familiesexamined during the period from Jan 2012 to Jan 2014, only S. commerson was parasitised by C. cybii. 361 individual hostfish examined, 80 were found to be infested (P= 22) with a total of 162 sexually dimorphic male and female of C. cybii (I=2.02). Significantly, high degree of disproportion in the sex ratio of the recovered members of C. cybii was found existedinasmuch as more than 91% (148 out of 162) of them were reproductively active females. Invariably, all of them were foundattached the inner epithelial lining of the operculum of the host signifying the strict site specific parasitisation. Light andscanning electron microscopic study showed the presence of structurally and functionally specialised mouthparts andappendages suited for their parasitic existence was evidenced by the present light and scanning electron microscopic studies.The present paper also discusses the damage found in the epithelial tissue of the host fish likely due to parasitisation.