Ectoparasitic sea lice, Caligus minimus (Otto 1821, Copepoda: Caligidae) on Brawn wrasse, Labrus merula L. in Izmir Bay, Aegean Sea

• Main Authors: Tansel T. Tanrikul, Fatih Percin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2012-04-01
• Series: Italian Journal of Animal Science
• Subjects: Ectoparasite, Caligus minimus, Brawn wrasse, Izmir Bay, Aegean Sea
• Online Access: http://www.aspajournal.it/index.php/ijas/article/view/2481

This paper reports on the species of <em>Caligus minimus</em> of the genus Caligus (Siphonosto - matoida: Caligidae), parasitic on marine fish, brawn wrasse (Labrus merula), genus Labridae, of Izmir Bay, Aegean Sea. The sea lice, <em>C. minimus</em>, is identified from the gill and external surfaces of the brawn wrasse (total length, 30 cm; weight, 210 gr.), particularly on its head. The entire collection of sea lice consists of 11-12 specimens, all of which are female. Ectoparasitic copepods especially belong to the Caligidae family, the most common crustacean parasites on fish. <em>C. minimu</em>s can be found in Atlantic coasts, British waters, the North Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea. <em>C. minimus</em> ectoparasite is a host and mainly recorded on Perciformes, such as <em>Dicentrarchus labrax, Pagellus bogaraveo, Umbrina cirrosa</em>, and <em>Mugil cephalus</em>. Recently, in both sides of the Aegean Sea,<em> C. minimus</em> has been identified from cultured marine fish, mainly <em>D. labrax</em>. The intensity of the infection is apparent on adult fish, especially during the winter and early spring. <em>C. minimus </em>is the first record on brawn wrasse caught by gill nets from the Urla coasts in Izmir Bay, Aegean Sea in March 2010.