Systematic Parasitology

, Volume 93, Issue 6, pp 583–599 | Cite as

Mothocya renardi (Bleeker, 1857) (Crustacea: Isopoda: Cymothoidae) parasitising Strongylura leiura (Bleeker) (Belonidae) off the Malabar coast of India: Redescription, occurrence and life-cycle

  • Aneesh Panakkool-Thamban
  • Sudha Kappalli
  • Helna Ameri Kottarathil
  • Anilkumar Gopinathan
Article
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Abstract

Mothocya renardi (Bleeker, 1857), a protandrically hermaphroditic cymothoid, parasitising the banded needle fish Strongylura leiura (Bleeker) from the Malabar Coast, India is redescribed and morphological data for different life-cycle stages [male, transitional and ovigerous female, larvae (pre-manca and manca) and juvenile] are provided. Mothocya renardi exhibited strict oligoxenous host specificity by infesting only S. leiura and showed high prevalence levels (reaching up to 92%). The life-cycle of M. renardi comprises three major phases (marsupial phase, free living phase and infestive phase). The marsupial phase comprised one zygotic, three embryonic and two larval stages, all of which remained in the marsupium until the final staged manca is released into the surrounding water. After having led a short free- swimming life, the manca infested the branchial cavity of the host fish, S. leiura. Subsequently it was transformed successively into juvenile, male, transitional and finally functional female through biphasic moult which occurs in between each stage. Based on the presence (or absence) of a brood pouch and/or marsupiumites, six successive stages of the female population were also identified. These data will help precise identification of the female M. renardi irrespective of their stage. The present paper also discusses the host-parasite interactions between S. leiura and M. renardi.

Keywords

Posterior Margin Dorsal View Distal Margin Lateral Lobe Ovigerous Female 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Notes

Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge Professor Trilles J. P., University of Montpellier 2, Montpellier, France for the species level identification of the parasite.

Funding

This study was funded by the University Grants Commission, New Delhi (F.No:38-218/2009 (SR); dated: 24/12/2009) and by the Kerala State Council for Science Technology and Environment, Government of Kerala (No. (T) 093/SRS/2011/CSTE; dated: 25/06/2011).

Compliance with ethical standards

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

All applicable institutional, national and international guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed.

Supplementary material

11230_2016_9646_MOESM1_ESM.doc (91 kb)
Supplementary material 1 (DOC 91 kb)

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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2016

Authors and Affiliations

  • Aneesh Panakkool-Thamban
    • 1
  • Sudha Kappalli
    • 1
  • Helna Ameri Kottarathil
    • 1
  • Anilkumar Gopinathan
    • 2
  1. 1.Post Graduate Department of Zoology and Research CentreSree Narayana CollegeKannurIndia
  2. 2.School of Biosciences and TechnologyVIT UniversityVelloreIndia

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