Distribution of Trematodes Cryptokotyle (Trematoda, Heterophyidae), in Fish of the Family Gobiidae in the Estuary Waters and the Black Sea in Southern Ukraine

• Main Authors: Goncharov S. L., Soroka N. M., Pryima O. B., Dubovyi A. I.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sciendo 2017-10-01
• Series: Vestnik Zoologii
• Subjects: distribution; occurrence; c. jejuna,c. cancavum; gobiids; intensity of infection; prevalence of infection; black sea; dnipro-buh estuary; mykolaiv; odesa
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1515/vzoo-2017-0046

The article describes occurrence and distribution of Cryptocotyle trematodes in fish in the waters of the Dnipro-Buh estuary and the Black Sea in Mykolaiv and Odesa Region. Study was conducted in 2015-2016. Two trematode species were found in natural waters of these regions: Cryptocotyle cancavum Crepli, 1825 and Cryptocotyle jejuna Nicoll, 1907. Th e latter species has not been previously registered in this region in southern Ukraine. Varying intensity of infection with Cryptocotyle metacercariae was observed in fish of Gobiidae family: Mesogobius batrachocephalus Pallas, 1814, Neogobius melanostomum Pallas, 1814, N. fluviatialis Pallas, 1814. Th e most affected species was N. melanostomum, with the prevalence of infection 59.2 %. Less infected were N. fluviatialis and M. batrachocephalus, with the prevalence of infection 30.4 % and 17 % respectively. The intensity of infection was the highest in N. melanostomum - 211 metacercariae per fish, followed by N. fluviatialis and M. batrachocephalu - 124 and 89 metacercariae respectively. Cryptocotyle was the most prevalent in the Dnipro-Buh estuary (cape Adzhigol, Mykolaiv Region) and much less prevalent in the waters of the Black Sea in Mykolaiv and Odesa Regions. Mean prevalence of infection was 31.4 %.