Distribution and Abundance of the Marine Fish Parasite from Coromandel Coast of Tamil Nadu

Abstract

Parasites are commonly infectious and can infest other fish living in the same water body. A fish infested with parasites may act medium of the invasion of the latter into humans and other animals. Therefore, it is very important that infested fish to be identified and treated well. This study was conducted from the fish landing centre of Cuddalore and Kattumavadi coastal regions of Coramandal coast of Tamil Nadu. The ectoparasite and endoparasite infection in gills, gut, skin and operculum of commercially important fishes were observed in both the areas. Among the 69 species recorded in Cuddalore station, 21 species namely, Atule mate, Auxis rochei, Lutjanus carponotatus, Chaetodon decussates, Beryx splendens, Terapon jarbua, Pterocaesio chrysozona, Trachinocephalus myops, Lutjanus vita, Upeneus indicus, Lagocephalus lunaris, Monopterus eapeni, Scolopsis bimaculata, Ichthyscopus lebeck, Gnathanodon specious, Photopectosclis bindus, Upeneus tragula, Chaetodon collare, Chelonodon patoca, Epinephelus bleekeri, and Ctenochaetus strigosus, were observed parasites infections. Hemiramphus archipelagicus is the commonly available species in Kattumavadi station which is severely affected by Cymotha spinipalpa parasites. The parasites grow and reproduce fast under ideal living conditions. When the population of the fish parasites grows beyond a certain limit, it can be life threatening. Total of three species of parasites viz. Camllanus sp., Lepeophtherius salmonis, Caligus centrodonti are found in fishes collected from Cuddalore coast. Among the three parasites, L. salmonis was observed more number in gill region of 17 species and another two parasites were observed in remaining species in gut region. In Kattumavadi station, the species like Hemiramphus far, Tylosurus corocodilus, and H. archipelagicus are mostly infected by the parasites.