Shoreline distribution and parasite infection of black-striped pipefish Syngnathus abaster Risso, 1827 in the lower River Danube

0383790 - ÚBO 2013 RIV DE eng J - Journal Article
Ondračková, Markéta - Slováčková, Iveta - Trichkova, T. - Polačik, Matej - Jurajda, Pavel
Shoreline distribution and parasite infection of black-striped pipefish Syngnathus abaster Risso, 1827 in the lower River Danube.
Journal of Applied Ichthyology. Roč. 28, č. 4 (2012), s. 590-596. ISSN 0175-8659. E-ISSN 1439-0426
R&D Projects: GA MŠMT LC522
Institutional support: RVO:68081766
Keywords : Pomphorhynchus laevis * water * size * invasions * habitats * history * fishes * sex
Subject RIV: EG - Zoology
Impact factor: 0.902, year: 2012

This study aimed to characterise the shoreline distribution and metazoan parasite community in black-striped pipefish Syngnathus abaster along the freshwater section of the River Danube (Bulgaria). An extensive survey of the shoreline zone showed the regular presence of S.similar to abaster along the entire stretch from Vetren to Vrav (395836 river km). The preference of shoreline habitat was analysed using abundance data and the proportion of this species in the fish community within particular habitat types. Highest frequencies of occurrence and density were found in sites with a muddy substrate, as compared to gravel and sand. A subsample of S.similar to abaster from the upper section of the Bulgarian stretch was examined for metazoan parasites. The parasite fauna comprised eight metazoan species, representing half the parasite species richness known from its original range. Only three parasite species previously reported from S.similar to abaster were found in the Danubian range of expansion: the adult trematode Orientocreadium siluri, metacercariae of Diplostomum sp., and an accidental finding of the trematode Nicolla skrjabini. The other five species appear to have been acquired in the new area, although these were recorded at a very low prevalence and/or abundance. Syngnathus abaster, therefore, is not likely to represent an important component in native parasite life cycles. Fish condition was not affected by either total parasite abundance or abundance of core species. Regular occurrence and dominance of Syngnathus abaster indicates that this species now represents a significant component of the Danubian shoreline fish community.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0213626