title: First record of Cymothoa indica (Crustacea, Isopoda, Cymothoidae) infecting the cultured catfish Mystus gulio in India.
abstract: Cymothoa indica (Isopoda, Cymothoidae) is reported parasitizing the long-whiskered catfish Mystus gulio, cultured in an experimental cage in India. The specimens observed were adult males and females, which had mainly settled in the buccal cavity of juvenile catfish. The species was previously known from wild populations of Siganidae and Belonidae, but this is the first record of C. indica parasitizing the cultured long-whiskered catfish. Serious lesions, typical of a crustacean infection, were macroscopically visible inside the buccal cavity. The cumulative mortality, over a period of 10 d, was 100%. The parasitic problem was not successfully dealt with, due to an unexpected prevalence and very swift mortality.
authors.affiliation: Centre of Advanced Study in Marine Biology, Annamalai University, Parangipettai--608 502, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rajkumar
authors.forename: K P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Kumaraguru vasagam
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Perumal
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Trilles
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017756:Aquaculture; D002397:Catfishes; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000469:parasitology*; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D033321:Isopoda; D009055:Mouth / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D010273:Parasitic Diseases, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D013045:Species Specificity