Helminth parasites of the dwarf sperm whale Kogia sima (Cetacea: Kogiidae) from the Mediterranean Sea, with implications on host ecology

• Published in: Diseases of Aquatic Organisms
• Main Authors: Santoro, M., Di Nocera, F., Iaccarino, D., Cipriani, P., Guadano Procesi, I., Maffucci, F., Hochscheid, S., Blanco, C., Cerrone, A., Galiero, G., Nascetti, G., Mattiucci, S.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Inter-Research 2018
• Subjects: anisakis pegreffii; anisakis physeteri; kogia sima; mediterranean sea; phyllobothrium delphini; squid beak; host ecology; ecology; evolution; behavior; systematic; aquatic science; Sperm whale
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/11573/1144475; https://doi.org/10.3354/dao03251

Limited data exist on the occurrence of the dwarf sperm whale Kogia sima in the Mediterranean Sea and its parasite fauna. Here, the occurrence of the anisakid species Anisakis physeteris and A. pegreffii in the stomach chambers of an adult female dwarf sperm whale, stranded in southern Italy, is reported. In addition, the occurrence of Phyllobothrium delphini larvae infecting the blubber of the caudal peduncle region was recorded. A. physeteris and A. pegreffii represent the 2 parasite species of the genus, mostly distributed in the Mediterranean Sea in fish and squids. The finding of A. pegreffii and A. physeteris in the dwarf sperm whale represents a new record in this host species for the Mediterranean Sea. The study of gastrointestinal content also revealed a massive presence of cephalopod beaks identified as belonging to pelagic squids including the umbrella squid Histioteuthis bonnellii, the reverse jewel squid H. reversa, the long-armed squid Chiroteuthis veranii, and the comb-finned squid Ctenopteryx sicula. The feeding habits of the dwarf sperm whale, as well as the occurrence of these squid residuals in the cetacean host, suggest that these squid species play a major role in maintaining the life cycle of anisakid parasite species and P. delphini.