Parasites of the Deepwater Sculpin (Myoxocephalus thompsonii) Across Its Canadian Range

• Published in: The Journal of parasitology Vol. 95; no. 5; pp. 1209 - 1212
• Main Authors: Carney, Joseph P, Sheldon, Tom A, Lovejoy, Nathan R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lawrence, KS American Society of Parasitologists 01-10-2009; Allen Press Inc
• Subjects: Agnatha. Pisces; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Bothriocephalus cuspidatus; Canada - epidemiology; Communities; Crepidostomum farionis; Crustaceans; Cyathocephalus truncatus; Echinorhynchus salmonis; Ergasilus nerkae; Fish Diseases - epidemiology; Fish Diseases - parasitology; Fisheries science; Fishes; Fresh Water; Fresh water ecosystems; Freshwater; Freshwater fishes; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; General aspects and techniques. Study of several systematic groups. Models; Habitat; Invertebrates; Lakes; Lota lota; Mollusca; Mollusks; Myoxocephalus thompsonii; Parasite hosts; Parasites; Parasites - classification; Parasites - isolation & purification; Parasitic Diseases, Animal - epidemiology; Parasitic Diseases, Animal - parasitology; Parasitology; Proteocephalus; Protozoa; Raphidascaris acus; RESEARCH NOTES; Salvelinus namaycush; Sculpin; Species; Synecology; Trophic levels; Trout; Vertebrates: general zoology, morphology, phylogeny, systematics, cytogenetics, geographical distribution; Canada; Freshwater environment; Parasite; Vertebrata; Pisces
• ISSN: 0022-3395; 1937-2345
• DOI: 10.1645/GE-2011.1

Deepwater sculpin (Myoxocephalus thompsonii) were collected from 19 lakes across the species' distribution in Canada and examined for parasites. Six helminth species (Crepidostomum farionis, Bothriocephalus cuspidatus, Proteocephalus sp., Cyathocephalus truncatus, Raphidascaris acus, and Echinorhynchus salmonis), 1 crustacean species (Ergasilus nerkae), and 1 molluscan species (glochidia) parasitized these hosts. Crepidostomum farionis, Proteocephalus sp., R. acus, E. nerkae, and the glochidia represent new parasite records for this host species. Overall parasite prevalence was 78.0% while mean intensity was 6.1 ± 7.1 SD. Bothriocephalus cuspidatus was the most prevalent parasite and was recorded from 62.2% of the deepwater sculpin and found in 17 of the 19 lakes. The low-productivity habitat of this host limits the parasites available for transmission, and the infra- and component communities were generally species poor. With the exception of the Proteocephalus sp., all of the helminth parasites recovered have been reported as adults in lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) or burbot (Lota lota), suggesting that, in the lakes where they occur, deepwater sculpin may play an important role in energetic transfer and parasitic transmission to higher trophic levels.