Determination of the swim bladder parasite Anguillicola crassus (Nematoda, Dracunculoidea) in the European Eel, Anguilla anguilla (Linnaeus, 1758) from the locality Çamalti Tuzla of Izmir Bay, Eastern Aegean Sea

Abstract

We, here, aimed to determine the presence of Anguillicola crassus, a swim bladder parasite, in 89 (male: 45, female: 44) dead European eel specimens obtained seasonally between 2020-2021 from a regional fisherman, who has fished with fyke net in the locality Tuzla of Izmir Bay, Eastern Aegean Sea. Out of 21 male European eels caught in winter, only one specimen (TL: 48.5 cm and TW: 247.12 g) had 23 swim bladder parasites (adult nematodes: 15, larvae: 8) and similarly, only one parasite was found in one specimen (TL: 37.5 cm and TW: 88.47 g) of 8 eels caught in spring. No parasite was found in the female eels. At the examinations, it was determined that all adult Anguillicola crassus specimens were females and the minimum-maximum and average length values in adult and larval parasites were, respectively, 1.5-2.5 cm (1.99 ± 0.31) and 0.7-1.3 cm (1.025 ± 2.40). Consequently, the species A. crassus, a swim bladder parasite, was found in European eels from the locality Çamalti Tuzla in two seasons (winter and spring) and this parasitic nematode were only in male eels. This study is a first and remarkable one having evidential value, which shows the presence of the species A. crassus among the eel population in the locality Çamalti Tuzla of Izmir Bay. Besides, it is a population that should be monitored due to the status of Anguilla anguilla on the IUCN red list.