Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Helminths and the feeding habits of the marbled moray cod Muraenolepis marmorata Günther, 1880 (Gadiformes, Muraenolepididae) in the Ross Sea (Southern Ocean)

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Polar Biology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The marbled moray cod, Muraenolepis marmorata Gunther, 1880, is one of the most common benthic fish in the Antarctic, but our knowledge about its biology and participation in parasitic life cycles as a host is quite scarce. The boundaries of its geographical distribution are unclear, but it definitely inhabits the Ross Sea, the Amundsen Sea, the slopes of seamounts, underwater elevations, and islands in the Indian Ocean sector of the sub-Antarctica, and it is endemic in the Antarctic. This article presents data on helminth infections of marbled moray cod in the Ross Sea and its eating habits. Specimens were examined during commercial longline fishing in the Ross Sea in January 2015. Being a benthophage, M. marmorata feeds on a variety of benthic invertebrates, including gastropods, bivalves, monoplacophores, polyplacophores, ophiuroids, and sea urchins. Twenty species and unidentified forms were found using standard parasitological methods. Most of the recorded species (60%) are trematodes, and four are specific for muraenolepidids. Heterosentis heteracanthus and Gonocerca crassa are recorded for M. marmorata for the first time. Comparison with an earlier studied infection of M. marmorata in the sub-Antarctic revealed the richness of the Ross Sea parasite fauna.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bailly N (2015) Muraenolepis Günther, 1880. In: Froese R, Pauly D (eds) FishBase. World register of marine species. http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=234525. Accessed 4 Mar 2016

  • Balushkin AV, Prirodina VP (2005) A new species of moray cod Muraenolepis andriashevi sp. nova (Muraenolepididae) from the southern coast of Africa with notes on taxonomic rank of the family in the system of Gadiformes. J Ichthyol 45:489–495

    Google Scholar 

  • Balushkin AV, Prirodina VP (2006) A new species of eel cods Muraenolepis trunovi sp. nova (Muraenolepididae) from the Lazarev Sea with redescription of lectotypes [of] Muraenolepis marmorata Günther, 1880 and M. microps (Lönnberg, 1905). J Ichthyol 46:687–693

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Balushkin AV, Prirodina VP (2007a) New species of eel cods Muraenolepis pacific sp. nova (Muraenolepididae) from the ridge of hercules (Pacific–Antarctic ridge). J Ichthyol 47:201–206

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Balushkin AV, Prirodina VP (2007b) A new species of eel cods Muraenolepis kuderskii sp. nova (fam. Muraenolepididae) from South Georgia (the Scotia Sea). J Ichthyol 47:683–690

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Balushkin AV, Prirodina VP (2010a) Notomuraenobathys gen. nov.—a new genus of eel cods (Muraenolepididae: Gadiformes) from the Southern Ocean. J Ichthyol 50:226–230

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Balushkin AV, Prirodina VP (2010b) A new species of Muraenolepididae (Gadiformes) Muraenolepis evseenkoi sp. nova from continental seas of Antarctica. J Ichthyol 50:495–502

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bykhovskaya-Pavlovskaya IE (1985) Parasites of fishes. Manual. Nauka, Leningrad

    Google Scholar 

  • CCAMLR (2011) Scientific observers manual. CCAMLR, N. Hobart

    Google Scholar 

  • Chechun IS (1984) Feeding and food interrelationships of some sub-Antarctic fishes of the Indian Ocean. Trudy Zool Inst AN SSSR 127:38–68

    Google Scholar 

  • Chuchukalo VI, Napazakov VV (1999) On methods of determination of diurnal diets and rate of food digestion in predatory and benthos-eating fish. Izv TINRO 126:160–171

    Google Scholar 

  • Fenaughty JM, Stevens DW, Hanchet SM (2003) Diet of the Antarctic toothfish (Dissostichus mawsoni) from the Ross Sea, Antarctica (subarea 88.1). CCAMLR Sci 10:113–123

    Google Scholar 

  • Fisher W, Hureau JC (eds) (1985) FAO species identification sheets for fishery purposes: Southern Ocean (CCAMLR convention area fishing areas 48, 58 and 88), vol 1. Prepared and published with the support of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources. FAO, Rome

  • Gaevskaya AV, Rodjuk GN (1988) New and rare Trematoda species from deep-sea fishes of the south-west Atlantic. Vestn Zool 5:11–15

    Google Scholar 

  • Gaevskaya AV, Rodjuk GN (1997) Ecological and geographical characters of parasite fauna of muraenolepidids (Pisces: Muraenolepididae). Ekol Morya 46:28–31

    Google Scholar 

  • Gibson DJ (1976) Monogenea and Digenea from fishes. Discov Rep 36:179–266

    Google Scholar 

  • Gon O, Heemstra PC (eds) (1990) Fishes of the Southern Ocean. J.L.B. Smith Institute of Ichthyology, Grahamstown

    Google Scholar 

  • Gordeev II, Sokolov SG (2016) Parasites of Antarctic toothfish Dissostichus mawsoni (Norman, 1937) (Perciformes, Nototheniidae). Polar Res. doi:10.3402/polar.v35.29364

    Google Scholar 

  • Holloway HL, Bier JW (1968) Helicometra antarcticae sp. nov. from Antarctic Coastal Fishes. Proc Helminthol Soc Wash 35:30–34

    Google Scholar 

  • Jensen K, Nikolov P, Caira JN (2011) A new genus and two new species of Anteroporidae (Cestoda: Lecanicephalidea) from the darkspotted numbfish, Narcine maculata (Torpediniformes: Narcinidae), off Malaysian Borneo. Folia Parasitol 58:95–107

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hargis WJ Jr, Dillon WA (1968) Helminth parasites of Antarctic vertebrates, 4. Monogenetic trematodes from Antarctic fishes: the superfamily Capsaloidea Price, 1936. Proc Biol Soc Wash 81:403–412

    Google Scholar 

  • Kompowski A (1993) Food and feeding behaviour of eel-cod Muraenolepis sp., (Pisces, Gadiformes, Muraenolepididae) from the region of South Georgia. Acta Ichthyol Piscat 23:59–68

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leiper RT, Atkinson EL (1914) Helminthes of the British Antarctic Expedition, 1910–1913. Proc Zool Soc Lond 127:222–226

    Google Scholar 

  • Leiper RT, Atkinson EL (1915) Parasitic worms, with a note on a free—living nematode. Br Antarct (“Terra Nova”) Exped Nat Hist Rep 2:19–60

    Google Scholar 

  • Oguz MC, Tepe Y, Belk MC, Heckmann RA, Aslan B, Gurgen M, Bray RA, Akgul U (2015) Metazoan parasites of Antarctic fishes. Turk J Parasitol 39:174–178

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Orecchia P, Paggi L (1990) Reperti parassitologici in Chionodraco hamatus e Pagothenia bernacchii della baia oi Terra Nova (Mare di Ross, Antartide). Parassitologia 32:188

    Google Scholar 

  • Palm HW (1999) Ecology of Pseudoterranova decipiens (Krabbe, 1878) (Nematoda: Anisakidae) from Antarctic waters. Parasitol Res 85:638–646

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Palm HW, Klimpel S, Walter T (2007) Demersal fish parasite fauna around the South Shetland Islands; high species richness and low host specificity in deep Antarctic waters. Polar Biol 30:1513–1522

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parker S, McMillan PJ, Marriott P (2012) Characterisation of Muraenolepis species by-catch in the CCAMLR Convention Area. Unpublished document of Working Group on Fish Stock Assessment of CCAMLR WG-FSA-02/50

  • Parukhin AM (1989) Parasitic worms of bottom fishes of the southern seas. Naukova Dumka, Kiev

    Google Scholar 

  • Permitin YE, Tarverdijeva MI (1972) Feeding of some species of Antarctic fishes in the South Georgia Island area. Vopr Ichtiol 12:120–132

    Google Scholar 

  • Petrov AF, Shust KV, Pyanova SV, Uryupova EF, Gordeev II, Sytov AM, Demina NS (2014) Guidelines for the collection and processing of fishing and biological data on aquatic bioresources of Antarctica for the Russian scientific observers in the CCAMLR convention area). VNIRO Publishing, Moscow

    Google Scholar 

  • Prirodina VP, Balushkin AV (2015) First record of Muraenolepis evseenkoi in the Weddell Sea and identification key to the eel cods (Muraenolepididae) of continental seas of Antarctica. J Ichthyol 55:778–782

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prudhoe S, Bray RA (1973) Digenetic trematodes from fishes. Reports B.A.N.Z. Antarct Res Exped Ser B 8:195–225

    Google Scholar 

  • Rocka A (2004) Nematodes of the Antarctic fishes. Pol Polar Res 25:135–152

    Google Scholar 

  • Rokicki J, Rodjuk G, Zdzitowiecki K (2009) Larval ascaridoid nematodes (Anisakidae) in fish from the South Shetland Islands (Southern Ocean). Pol Polar Res 30:49–58

    Google Scholar 

  • Santoro M, Mattiucci S, Cipriani P, Bellisario B, Romanelli F, Cimmaruta R, Nascetti G (2014) Parasite communities of icefish (Chionodraco hamatus) in the Ross Sea (Antarctica): Influence of the host sex on the helminth infracommunity structure. PLoS ONE 9:1–7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sokolov SG, Gordeev II (2013) New data on trematodes (Plathelminthes, Trematoda) of fishes in the Ross Sea (Antarctic). Invertebr Zool 10:255–267

    Google Scholar 

  • Sokolov SG, Gordeev II (2015a) New data on trematodes of Antarctic fishes. Parazitologiya 49:12–27

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sokolov SG, Gordeev II (2015b) Paralepidapedon variabile sp. n. (Trematoda, Lepocreadioidea, Lepidapedidae) and other representatives of the genus Paralepidapedon from Antarctic fish. Zool Z 94:756–763

    Google Scholar 

  • Sokolov SG, Atopkin DM, Gordeev II, Shedko MB (2016a) Consideration of the trematode genus Gonocerca Manter 1925 (Hemiuroidae) systematic position basing on molecular data. In: Galaktionov КV, Gaevskaya AV (eds) Contemporary problems of theoretical and marine parasitology: collection of scientific papers. IMBI, Sevastopol, pp 159–160

    Google Scholar 

  • Sokolov SG, Gordeev II, Atopkin DM (2016b) Redescription of trematode Gonocerca muraenolepisi Parukhin et Ljadov 1979 (Hemiuroidea, Derogenidae), a body cavity parasite of Antarctic fishes, with a discussion of its phylogenetic position. Invertebr Zool 13:191–202

    Google Scholar 

  • Sokolov S, Gordeev I, Lebedeva D (2016c) Redescription of Proctophantastes gillissi (Overstreet et Pritchard, 1977) (Trematoda: Zoogonidae) with discussion on the systematic position of the genus Proctophantastes Odhner, 1911. Acta Parasitol 61:529–536

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Utevsky AY (2005) An identification key to Antarctic fish leeches (Hirudinea: Piscicolidae). Ukr Antarct J 3:135–144

    Google Scholar 

  • Wojciechowska A (1993a) The tetraphyllidean and tetrabothriid cercoids from Antarctic bony fishes. I. Morphology. Identification with adult forms. Acta Parasitol 38:15–22

    Google Scholar 

  • Wojciechowska A (1993b) The tetraphyllidean and tetrabothriid cercoids from Antarctic bony fishes. II. Occurrence of cercoids in various fish species. Acta Parasitol 38:113–118

    Google Scholar 

  • Wojciechowska A, Zdzitowiecki K, Pisano E, Vacchi M (1994) The tetraphyllidean cercoids from bony fishes occurring in the Ross Sea (Antarctic). Acta Parasitol 39:13–15

    Google Scholar 

  • Zdzitowiecki K (1979) Digenetic trematodes in alimentary tracts of fishes of South Georgia and South Shetland (Antarctica). Acta Ichthyol Piscat 9:15–31

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zdzitowiecki K (1990a) Occurrence of acanthocephalans in fishes of the open sea off the South Shetlands and South Georgia (Antarctic). Acta Parasitol Pol 35:131–141

    Google Scholar 

  • Zdzitowiecki K (1990b) A redescription of Discoverytrema markowskii Gibson, 1976 and description of D. gibsoni n. sp. (Digenea, Opecoelidae). Syst Parasitol 16:163–167

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zdzitowiecki K (1990c) Little known and new Antarctic Digenea species of the genera Neolepidapedon and Lepidapedon (Lepocreadiidae). Acta Parasitol 35:19–30

    Google Scholar 

  • Zdzitowiecki K (1990d) Antarctic representatives of the genus Macvicaria Gibson & Bray, 1982 (Digenea Opecoelidae), with descriptions of two new species. Syst Parasitol 16:169–179

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zdzitowiecki K (1991) Occurrence of digeneans in open sea fishes off the South Shetland Islands and South Georgia, and a list of fish digeneans in the Antarctic. Polish Polar Res 12:55–72

    Google Scholar 

  • Zdzitowiecki K (1992) Antarctic representatives of the genus Lecithaster Luhe, 1901 (Digenea, Hemiuridae), with the description of a new species. Acta Parasitol 37:57–63

    Google Scholar 

  • Zdzitowiecki K (1993) A contribution to the morphology of the Antarctic fish lepocreadiid digeneans, with a description of a new genus. Acta Parasitol 38:109–112

    Google Scholar 

  • Zdzitowiecki K (1997) Digenea of fishes of the Weddell Sea. VI. The superfamily Hemiuridea. Acta Parasitol 42:219–224

    Google Scholar 

  • Zdzitowiecki K (1998) Diversity of Digenea, parasites of fishes in various areas of the Antarctic. In: di Prisco G, Pisano E, Clarke A (eds) Fishes of Antarctica. Springer, Milan, pp 87–94

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Zdzitowiecki K, Palladino S, Vacchi M (1999) Preliminary results on Digenea found in fishes in the coastal waters of Terra Nova Bay, Antarctica. Parassitologia 41:575–578

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the crew of f/v Yantar 35 for help. The work was supported by RFBR Grant # 14-04-31950.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Ecology and Bioresources of the Arctic and Antarctic, Russian Federal Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography (VNIRO), 17, V. Krasnoselskaya Str., Moscow, Russia, 107140

    I. I. Gordeev

  2. Laboratory of Fauna and Ecology of Parasites, Center of Parasitology of the A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution RAS, 28, Mytnaya Str., Moscow, Russia, 119049

    S. G. Sokolov

Authors
  1. I. I. Gordeev
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. S. G. Sokolov
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to I. I. Gordeev.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Gordeev, I.I., Sokolov, S.G. Helminths and the feeding habits of the marbled moray cod Muraenolepis marmorata Günther, 1880 (Gadiformes, Muraenolepididae) in the Ross Sea (Southern Ocean). Polar Biol 40, 1311–1318 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-016-2055-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-016-2055-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation