New Host Records for Lernaea cyprinacea (Copepoda), a Parasite of Freshwater Fishes, with a Checklist of the Lernaeidae in Japan (1915-2007)

Abstract

The lernaeid copepod Lernaea cyprinacea Linnaeus, 1758, was found attached to three species of freshwater fishes, the barbell steed Hemibarbus labeo (Pallas) (Cyprinidae), the dark chub Zacco temminckii (Temminck and Schlegel) (Cyprinidae), and the Amur catfish Silurus asotus Linnaeus (Siluridae) from Hiroshima Prefecture in Japan. The findings from Hemibarbus labeo and Zacco temminckii represent new host records for L. cyprinacea, while Silurus asotus is a new host in Japan. Based on the literature published for 93 years from 1915 to 2007, a checklist of three species of lernaeid copepods (Lernaea cyprinacea, Lernaea parasiluri, Lamproglena chinensis) from Japan is given, including information on the synonym(s), host(s), site(s) of infection, and distribution. The checklist shows that in Japan L. cyprinacea has been reported from 33 or 34 species and subspecies of fishes belonging to 17 families in 10 orders and also from 2 species of amphibians from 2 families in 2 orders.