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

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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.

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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).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Post Graduate Department of Zoology and Research Centre, Sree Narayana College, Kannur, 670 007, India

    Aneesh Panakkool-Thamban, Sudha Kappalli & Helna Ameri Kottarathil

  2. School of Biosciences and Technology, VIT University, Vellore, 632014, India

    Anilkumar Gopinathan

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  1. Aneesh Panakkool-Thamban
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  2. Sudha Kappalli
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Correspondence to Sudha Kappalli.

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Panakkool-Thamban, A., Kappalli, S., Kottarathil, H.A. et al. Mothocya renardi (Bleeker, 1857) (Crustacea: Isopoda: Cymothoidae) parasitising Strongylura leiura (Bleeker) (Belonidae) off the Malabar coast of India: Redescription, occurrence and life-cycle. Syst Parasitol 93, 583–599 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11230-016-9646-8

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