The helminthofauna of the garfish Belone belone (Linnaeus, 1760) from the southern Baltic Sea, including new data.

Abstract

The garfish Belone belone (Linnaeus, 1760) is a marine fish which can be found in the shallow waters of the Baltic Sea in the spring and summer spawning period. In 2010 and in 2016, 73 specimens of garfish collected in the Gulf of Gdansk (southern Baltic Sea) were examined for the presence of helminths. The fish were found to support the nematode Anisakis simplex (Rudolphi, 1809) L3, Hysterothylacium aduncum (Rudolphi, 1802) L4, ad., Contracaecum sp. L3 as well as the acanthocephalan Echinorhynchus gadi Zoega in Müller, 1776. For all garfish caught in 2010 and 2016, the overall prevalence of infection by all parasites was 38.4%, with a mean intensity of 2.9 (range 1-5). The dominant parasites were H. aduncum (20.5%, 1.8) and E. gadi (17.8%, 2.1). This study constitutes the first record of Contracaecum larvae in garfish in the Polish exclusive economic zone of the Baltic Sea.