First record of Emetha audouini, a cymothoid isopod parasite, from cultured sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax in Greece

• Published in: Diseases of Aquatic Organisms Vol. 38; no. 3; pp. 235 - 237
• Main Authors: PAPAPANAGIOTOU, E. P, TRILLES, J.-P, PHOTIS, G
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Oldendorf Inter-Research 30-11-1999
• Subjects: Animal aquaculture; Animal productions; Animals; Aquaculture; Bass - parasitology; Biological and medical sciences; Centracanthidae; Cheek - parasitology; Crustacea - growth & development; Dicentrarchus labrax; Disease Outbreaks - veterinary; Emetha audouini; Fish Diseases - epidemiology; Fish Diseases - parasitology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gills - parasitology; Greece - epidemiology; Marine; Parasitic Diseases, Animal - epidemiology; Parasitic Diseases, Animal - parasitology; Pisciculture; Prevalence; Skin - parasitology; Sparidae; Vertebrate aquaculture; Greece; Europe; MED, Greece; Host parasite relation; Head; Farming animal; First record; Host; Zoopathogen; Crustacea; Marine environment; Vertebrata; Larva; Isopoda; Arthropoda; Pisces; Dicentrarchus labrax; Parasitism; Lesion; Invertebrata; Aquaculture
• ISSN: 0177-5103; 1616-1580
• DOI: 10.3354/dao038235

For the first time, Emetha audouini (Milne Edwards, 1840), a cymothoid isopod, is reported parasitising cage cultured sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax L., 1758 in Greece. The specimens observed are larvae (Pulli II). They were found in great numbers in the buccal and branchial cavity of young (3.5 m.o. old) sea bass, in an intensive cage farm facility. This parasite is certainly transferred to sea bass from wild populations of Sparidae or Centracanthidae. Serious lesions were visible and typical of a crustacean infection, with extensive and deep skin damage in the head area. The cumulative mortality, over a 2 wk period, was 10.75%. The parasitic problem was successfully dealt with by optimization of management practices rather than use of costly and dangerous chemotherapeutants.