Abstract
Abstract Infection rates of anisakid nematodes were investigated in stranded harbour seals, Phoca vitulina, that died in the seal epizootic during 1988. A total of 165 seals was analysed from northern Skager-rak, northern Kattegat, southern Kattegat, and southern Baltic. Totally 1777 nematodes were found. Codworm Pseudoterranova decipiens was the most common species and constituted 71.0% of all identified nematodes. Abundance of this species was higher in adult seals and also higher in the two northernmost areas (northern Skagerrak, 22.9 and northern Kattegat, 16.8) compared with southern Kattegat (3.3) and the Baltic (4.0). Contracaecum osculatum was the second most common nematode with an abundance of 20.7% and was also more frequently occurring and had highest abundance in the northern part of the study area. No difference in abundance was found among age-classes of seals. Immature stages of the herring worm Anisakis simplex contributed 8.3% of all nematodes. Immature seals had a higher abundance than ...
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