Abstract Full Text:PDF Recommended articles Mail to Author How to Cite

¹ Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Biology, Burdur, Turkey
² Burdur Mehmet Akıf Ersoy University, Pathology, Burdur, Turkey
³ Ankara University, Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture Engineering, Ankara, Turkey DOI : 10.4194/1303-2712-v19_11_01 Viewed : 3552 - Downloaded : 3281 Despite the potential importance of parasitic nematode, Anguillicoloides crassus for the survival of eel, only a few studies have addressed this issue on eel stocks of Turkey. The current study reports baseline data on prevalence of parasites and pathological status in naturally infected eels from three important river estuaries (Seyhan River, Göksu River and Manavgat River) in Turkey. In total, 70 individuals of Anguilla anguilla from three river estuaries were examined and 46 (65.7%) specimens were infected by Anguillicoloides crassus. The nematodes were easily observed together with the excessive hemorrhagic exudate in the swimbladder. The swimbladder of eels were also pathologically examined. The uninfected swimbladder samples were grossly thin and shiny but in infected cases the tissues were detected as opaque, thick, hyperemic and mostly hemorrhagic. Histopathological examination revealed that focal to diffuse inflammation, marked hemorrhagies, erosive-ulcerative changes at the mucosa, edema and hyperemia at the submucosa. In severe cases muscularis mucosa were also affected. Keywords : River estuary, Invasive parasite, Eel, Swimbladder nematode