First record of Azygia robusta (Odhner, 1911) (Trematoda: Digenea: Azygiidae) in brown trout (Salmo trutta) in the VRBAS River

Abstract

Abstract The investigation of fish parasites in Bosnia and Herzegovina in recent years became significant, and therefore new records of parasitic trematodes and their hosts are important for better understanding of fish parasitology and pathology. In this study 41 parasitic specimens were collected and the basic taxonomical characters were measured (body length and width, diameter of oral and ventral sucker, length and width of pharynx, ovary length and width, testes length and width and eggs length and width). After the sampling of the parasites, they were collected and conserved in 70% ethanol. After that procedure the aforementioned characters were measured using Digimizer Image Analyzer Version 4.1. After all measurements, the trematode parasite Azygia robusta was confirmed for the first time on brown trout Salmo trutta. This first record was found in the Vrbas River near Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina (Sava River Basin). Former records of this parasite in Europe were observed on other salmonid fish species, as huchen Hucho hucho. This new record should be very important part of data of fish parasitology in Bosnia and Herzegovina.