Comparative Susceptibility of Japanese and European Eels to Infections with Pseudodactylogyrus spp. (Monogenea)

Abstract

Japanese eel Anguilla japonica and European eel A. anguilla, 65 individuals each, were exposed in a tank to 8,600 oncomiracidia of Pseudodactylogyrus bini and P. anguillae, monogeneans originally recorded on Japanese eel from Asia. Infection was monitored weekly for 6 weeks to compare susceptibility to these monogenean infections between the two eel species. Approximately 40% of the oncomiracidia infected the eels. In the six samplings, both P. bini and P. anguillae were always found in greater numbers on the gills of European eel than on Japanese eel. The first generation of parasites matured within 2 weeks, laying eggs in the tank, and the second generation appeared on the gills of the eels on the third week. European eel was more susceptible not only to the first but also to the second and later generations of parasites than Japanese eel. Besides, both parasites grew faster on European eel than on Japanese eel. This is the first experimental evidence that there are substantial differences in the susceptibility to P. spp. infection between European eel, an unnatural host in Japan, and Japanese eel, the natural host in this country.