title: Richness and diversity of helminth species in eels from a hypersaline coastal lagoon, Mar Menor, south-east Spain.
abstract: The composition and diversity of parasite communities and intestinal components, as well as infra-community structure, were assessed in eels Anguilla anguilla, from Mar Menor, a permanent Mediterranean hypersaline coastal lagoon. Data were used to determine whether this helminth community differs in composition and structure from that of eels in lagoons with lower salinity regimes and higher freshwater inputs. A total prevalence of 93% was detected. Specifically, parasites were identified as Deropristis inflata, Bucephalus anguillae, Contracaecum sp., Anguillicoloides crassus and two plerocercoid larvae belonging to the order Proteocephalidae, the marine species representing 91% of the isolated helminths. In the total community, digenetic trematodes were the dominant group of helminths, and D. inflata, an eel specialist, dominated both the component community and the infra-community. Richness and diversity were low but similar to those reported in other saline lagoons, and maximum species per eel did not exceed four. At the infra-community level, higher abundance than in other brackish or marine Mediterranean environments was detected. The findings provide further evidence of the similarity in composition and structure of helminth communities in eels from various Mediterranean coastal lagoons. Moreover, salinity-dependent specificities are well supported and reflect the life history of individual eels.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Sanidad Animal,Universidad de Murcia,30100,Murcia,Spain.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mayo-Hernández
authors.affiliation: Campus de Excelencia Internacional Regional 'Campus Mare Nostrum', Universidad de Murcia, Espinardo,30100,Murcia,Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Peñalver
authors.affiliation: Campus de Excelencia Internacional Regional 'Campus Mare Nostrum', Universidad de Murcia, Espinardo,30100,Murcia,Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: García-Ayala
authors.affiliation: Servei d'Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge, Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animal, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona,08193, Bellaterra,Barcelona,Spain.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Serrano
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Sanidad Animal,Universidad de Murcia,30100,Murcia,Spain.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Muñoz
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Sanidad Animal,Universidad de Murcia,30100,Murcia,Spain.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ruiz de Ybáñez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D059001:Aquatic Organisms / Q000469:parasitology*; D044822:Biodiversity; D004524:Eels / Q000469:parasitology*; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*; D006374:Helminthiasis, Animal / Q000469:parasitology*; D006376:Helminths / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008522:Mediterranean Sea; D013030:Spain