What's in a Fish? A Survey of Parasitic Fauna of Some Ictuluridae and Catostomidae Species in Georgia

Disciplines

Aquaculture and Fisheries | Fresh Water Studies | Integrative Biology | Parasitology | Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology

Abstract (300 words maximum)

Understanding the ecology of native fauna is important to monitor and improve ecosystem health. Parasites in native Georgian fish play a crucial role in the hosts’ growth, reproduction, and behavior; changes in parasite-host equilibrium can cause increased disease and mortality in these fish species. The parasites most prevalent in many catfish and suckers (Ictaluridae and Catostomidae, respectively) are not well known, and without taking this information into consideration, scientists are not able to factor in these relationships when studying other aspects of the ecosystem. The purpose of this research is to collect and compare the different parasites found within Ictaluridae and Catostomidae specimens. We furthered this research by comparing these findings to previously collected data in neighboring regions in North America. Utilizing the collected specimens of several different Ictaluridae and Catostomidae species in the KSU collection, we conducted dissections of each specimen to collect as well as record the variety and number of parasites within each fish. We found different species of nematodes, monogeneans, copepods, cestodes, trematodes, and acanthocephalans in the specimens. Collecting and identifying these parasites is crucial in understanding the life cycle of the parasites and their interactions with the host specimen, this can support our understanding of the ecosystem dynamics and health of the environment.

Academic department under which the project should be listed

CSM - Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology

Primary Investigator (PI) Name

Whitney Preisser

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What's in a Fish? A Survey of Parasitic Fauna of Some Ictuluridae and Catostomidae Species in Georgia

Understanding the ecology of native fauna is important to monitor and improve ecosystem health. Parasites in native Georgian fish play a crucial role in the hosts’ growth, reproduction, and behavior; changes in parasite-host equilibrium can cause increased disease and mortality in these fish species. The parasites most prevalent in many catfish and suckers (Ictaluridae and Catostomidae, respectively) are not well known, and without taking this information into consideration, scientists are not able to factor in these relationships when studying other aspects of the ecosystem. The purpose of this research is to collect and compare the different parasites found within Ictaluridae and Catostomidae specimens. We furthered this research by comparing these findings to previously collected data in neighboring regions in North America. Utilizing the collected specimens of several different Ictaluridae and Catostomidae species in the KSU collection, we conducted dissections of each specimen to collect as well as record the variety and number of parasites within each fish. We found different species of nematodes, monogeneans, copepods, cestodes, trematodes, and acanthocephalans in the specimens. Collecting and identifying these parasites is crucial in understanding the life cycle of the parasites and their interactions with the host specimen, this can support our understanding of the ecosystem dynamics and health of the environment.