Relationships Between Fish Parasitism and Pollution Exposure in the White Croaker, Genyonemus lineatus (Sciaenidae), from Los Angeles Harbor, Southern California, U.S.A.

Abstract

The white croaker, Genyonemus lineatus, occurs in degraded habitats like Los Angeles Harbor, California, U.S.A., and has been used as a target species for pollution monitoring studies in the Southern California Bight. Sampling of croaker from several sites within Los Angeles Harbor and a reference site, Dana Point, was done to assess the relationship between endohelminth parasitism and pollution in this fish host. Prevalence of Anisakis sp., Stephanostomum spp., and Lacistorhynchus dollfusi varied significantly by site. Only for Anisakis sp. was mean intensity significantly different between the less polluted site, Dana Point, and the site in Los Angeles Harbor closest to the outfall pipe of a sewage treatment plant. Anisakis sp. appears to be useful as an indicator of pollution exposure in white croaker populations from Los Angeles Harbor.