Abstract
The population of California sea lion Zalophus californianus (CSL) has steadily increased during the last several decades. Despite extensive research addressing CSL biology and ecology performed during the last decades, there has been a minimal number of published papers documenting their parasite fauna. Our objective was to analyze the actual list of the metazoan parasites reported from CSLs and add new data on the age-related differences in the prevalence and biodiversity of the parasite community. There have been 33 species recorded but this study considers only 24 of them valid. Among them, 11 species are specific parasites of CSLs and 13 species are not specific. Additional species represent accidental infections or misidentifications. In total, 6653 helminths and 847 mites were collected and identified from 34 CSLs for this study. Six species of nematodes, Anisakis simplex sensu lato s. l. (prevalence 41%; intensity 7.6), Contracaecum ogmorhini s. l. (38%; 269.6), Pseudoterranova decipiens s. l. (29%; 33), P. azarazi (9%; 2.7), Acanthocheilonema odendhali (15%; 3.5) and Parafilaroides decorus were found. Two species of cestodes, Diphyllobothrium sp. (38%; 8.5) and Anophryocephalus sp. (15%; 14.6) represent novel undescribed species. Two species of trematodes, Apophallus zalophi (18%; 19.7) and Zalophotrema hepaticum (12%; 39.2), and five species of acanthocephalans, Corynosoma obtuscens (68%; 100.8), C. strumosum (53%; 4.6), Andracantha phalacrocoracis (3%; 1), Andracantha sp. (9%; 4.3) and Profilicollis altmani (6%; 8.5) were found. Mites Orthohalarchne attenuata (prevalence 85%) were found in the nasal cavity, while O. diminuata (21%) parasitized in the trachea and bronchi. The highest levels of infection with nematodes and trematodes were found in adult CSLs (3–16 years old), whereas the highest level of infection with acanthocephalans was found in young CSLs (pups and yearlings).
Highlights
The parasite fauna of marine mammals is relatively well known, but most of the studies were performed around 50 years ago (Delyamure, 1955; Dailey and Brownell, 1972; etc.); and more recent detailed studies are mostly missing
There are several checklists that represent parasites of marine mammals which include California sea lions Zalophus californianus (CSL) (Delyamure, 1955; King, 1964; Dailey and Brownell, 1972; Margolis and Dailey, 1972; Dailey, 1975; Felix, 2013), but most reports include records based on incorrect parasite identification or accidental infections
The rest of the 9 previously reported species were considered as accidental infections, or misidentifications (Table 1)
Summary
The parasite fauna of marine mammals is relatively well known, but most of the studies were performed around 50 years ago (Delyamure, 1955; Dailey and Brownell, 1972; etc.); and more recent detailed studies are mostly missing. There are several checklists that represent parasites of marine mammals which include California sea lions Zalophus californianus (CSL) (Delyamure, 1955; King, 1964; Dailey and Brownell, 1972; Margolis and Dailey, 1972; Dailey, 1975; Felix, 2013), but most reports include records based on incorrect parasite identification or accidental infections These incorrect data have been repeated in the literature without any corrections or additions of new data since the study of Delyamure (1955). Paul Island, Alaska, where more than 27,000 specimens of parasites from 756 subadult male seals were found, described and vouchers deposited in the collections (Kuzmina et al, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2018; Hernández-Orts et al, 2015, 2018)
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