Alimentary tract helminths of four pleuronectid flatfish in relation to host phylogeny and ecology

• Published in: Journal of Fish Biology
• Main Author: Lile, N. K.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 1998
• Subjects: Norway; Northern Norway
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8649.1998.tb00455.x; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Fj.1095-8649.1998.tb00455.x; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1095-8649.1998.tb00455.x

Eighteen species of helminths were analysed in relation to host–parasite specificity and the effect of host ecological preferences on the establishment of the parasite fauna in the alimentary tract of four pleuronectid flatfish, flounder Pleuronectes flesus , witch flounder Glyptocephalus cynoglossus , American plaice Hippoglossoides platessoides , and Atlantic halibut Hippoglossus hippoglossus in northern Norway. Thirteen species were generalists and the diversity of the parasite faunas decreased with increasing depths inhabited by the host. Similarities were greatest between the parasite faunas of flounder and American plaice and least between flounder and witch flounder. Host ecology, rather than phylogenetic relationships of these hosts, mainly influences the composition and diversity of the parasite communities of flatfishes in northern Norway.