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Journal article
Ectoparasites of the critically endangered green sawfish Pristis zijsron and sympatric elasmobranchs in Western Australia
Parasitology international, Vol.101, 102900
2024
PMID: 38701942
Abstract
This study reports the metazoan ectoparasite fauna of juvenile Critically Endangered green sawfish, Pristis zijsron, and sympatric elasmobranchs in Western Australia. Five parasite taxa were found on 76 screened P. zijsron: Caligus furcisetifer (Copepoda: Caligidae), Dermopristis pterophila (Monogenea: Microbothriidae), Branchellion plicobranchus and Stibarobdella macrothela (Hirudinea: Piscicolidae), and praniza larvae of an unidentified gnathiid isopod. Only C. furcisetifer and D. pterophila were common, exhibiting discrepant site-specificity, with C. furcisetifer occurring mostly on the head and rostrum, and D. pterophila around the pectoral and pelvic fins. Intensity of infection for C. furcisetifer and D. pterophila increased with host total length and was influenced by host sex, but in opposite directions; intensity of C. furcisetifer was greater on female P. zijsron, whereas intensity of D. pterophila was greater on males. In the Ashburton River, likelihood of infection for C. furcisetifer and D. pterophila on P. zijsron increased with time since substantial freshwater discharge events, suggesting decreased salinity impacts both taxa. In addition to P. zijsron, five other sympatric elasmobranch species were opportunistically screened for ectoparasites in the study area: the giant shovelnose ray, Glaucostegus typus, the eyebrow wedgefish, Rhynchobatus palpebratus, the nervous shark, Carcharhinus cautus, the lemon shark, Negaprion acutidens, and the graceful shark, Carcharhinus amblyrhynchoides. Caligus furcisetifer was found on R. palpebratus; no other parasites of P. zijsron were found on other sympatric elasmobranch species. Conversely, Perissopus dentatus (Copepoda: Pandaridae) was found on all three carcharhinids but not on batoid rays (P. zijsron, G. typus or R. palpebratus).
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•The ectoparasite fauna of green sawfish, Pristis zijsron, is reported.•Caligus furcisetifer and Dermopristis pterophila were common on P. zijsron.•Stibarobdella macrothela, Branchellion plicobranchus and gnathiids were scarce.•Host size and sex affects infection intensity of C. furcisetifer and D. pterophila.•Eyebrow wedgefish, Rhynchobatus palpebratus, were also infected by C. furcisetifer.
Details
- Title
- Ectoparasites of the critically endangered green sawfish Pristis zijsron and sympatric elasmobranchs in Western Australia
- Authors/Creators
- Jack Ingelbrecht - Murdoch UniversityKarissa O. Lear - Murdoch University, Centre for Sustainable Aquatic EcosystemsStorm B. Martin - Murdoch University, Centre for Sustainable Aquatic EcosystemsAlan J. Lymbery - Murdoch University, Centre for Sustainable Aquatic EcosystemsBradley M. Norman - Murdoch UniversityGeoffrey A. Boxshall - Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, United KingdomDavid L. Morgan - Murdoch University, Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems
- Publication Details
- Parasitology international, Vol.101, 102900
- Publisher
- Elsevier B.V
- Identifiers
- 991005662065107891
- Copyright
- © 2024 The Authors.
- Murdoch Affiliation
- Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article
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