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Occurrence of Anisakis and Hysterothylacium larvae in commercial fish from Balearic Sea (Western Mediterranean Sea)

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Abstract

This study investigates the occurrence of anisakids and raphidascarids in commercial fish from Balearic Sea (Western Mediterranean). A total of 335 fish including 19 black anglerfish (Lophius budegassa), 33 white anglerfish (L. piscatorius), 129 European hake (Merluccius merluccius), 30 red mullet (Mullus barbatus), and 124 striped mullet (M. surmuletus) were examined using enzymatic digestion. A total of 948 nematode larvae were isolated (prevalence 52.53%) being the highest prevalence observed in striped mullet. Forty-six larvae were identified using molecular analyses which included PCR and sequencing of the 629-bp fragment of mitochondrial cox2 gene region. Anisakis pegreffii (80.43%), A. physeteris (8.69%), Hysterothylacium fabri (6.52%), and A. simplex (4.35%) were detected based on molecular analyses of larvae. Total nematode prevalence was positively correlated with weight, length, condition factor, and maturity stage of the host and also with fishing ground depth. Statistical differences between total nematode prevalence and geographical sector of capture were observed when fishing hauls were grouped according to the abundance of sperm whales or common bottlenose dolphins. The results also corroborate that fishing water depth may play an important role in anisakid and raphidascarid parasitization.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the Spanish Institute of Oceanography, to all participants, in the cruise MEDIT GSA05 on board R/V “Miguel Oliver” as well as to Beatriz Guijarro, regional coordinator of the MEDIT program, for all help and support provided during sampling.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. IEO-Centro Oceanográfico de Murcia, San Pedro del Pinatar, Murcia, Spain

    Elena Barcala

  2. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Regional “Campus Mare Nostrum”, Murcia, Spain

    Elena Barcala, Nieves Ortega & Pilar Muñoz

  3. Ecobiomar, Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas de Vigo, CSIC, Eduardo Cabello 6, 36208, Vigo, Spain

    Andrea Ramilo & Santiago Pascual

  4. Departamento Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Murcia, 30100, Murcia, Spain

    Nieves Ortega & Pilar Muñoz

  5. COFIB-Consorcio para la Recuperación de la Fauna de la Islas Baleares, Ctra. Sineu, Km 15400, CP 07142, Santa Eugènia, Islas Baleares, Spain

    Gabriela Picó

  6. Centro Tecnológico del Mar, Fundación CETMAR, Eduardo Cabello s/n, 36208, Vigo, Spain

    Elvira Abollo

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  1. Elena Barcala
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  2. Andrea Ramilo
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  3. Nieves Ortega
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  4. Gabriela Picó
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  5. Elvira Abollo
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  6. Santiago Pascual
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  7. Pilar Muñoz
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Correspondence to Pilar Muñoz.

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Barcala, E., Ramilo, A., Ortega, N. et al. Occurrence of Anisakis and Hysterothylacium larvae in commercial fish from Balearic Sea (Western Mediterranean Sea). Parasitol Res 117, 4003–4012 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-018-6110-5

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