Helminth parasites of the alimentary tract of Atlantic halibut ( Hippoglossus hippoglossus L.) and Greenland halibut ( Reinhardtius hippoglossoides (Walbaum)) on the Scotian Shelf

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Zoology
• Main Authors: Scott, James S., Bray, Shelley A.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1989
• Subjects: Animal Science and Zoology; Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics; Greenland
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z89-209; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z89-209

Examination of the alimentary tracts of 272 Atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus (L.)) and 71 Greenland halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides (Walbaum)) from the Scotian Shelf yielded a total of 25 helminth parasite species, 23 from H. hippoglossus (16 Digenea, 3 Cestoda, 2 Acanthocephala, 2 Nematoda) and 16 from R. hippoglossoides (11 Digenea, 3 Cestoda, 1 Acanthocephala, 1 Nematoda). Parasite prevalence and intensity were low (< 50% and < 10%, respectively) in both hosts, except for Derogenes varicus and Steganoderma formosum in H. hippoglossus and anisakid nematodes in R. hippoglossoides. Consideration of change in parasite prevalence and mean intensity in relation to fish length and diet suggests fish prey as transport hosts for D. varicus in larger halibuts, and crustaceans as the intermediate hosts for S. formosum before transmission to its principal host, H. hippoglossus. Geographical change in parasite prevalence and intensity was in the form of southwest to northeast clines along the Shelf, probably related to environmental factors. There was no evidence for stock differentiation in either of the hosts based on parasite fauna.