Ecological and histopathological aspects of Didymodiclinus sp. (Trematoda: Didymozoidae) parasite of the dusky grouper, Epinephelus marginatus (Osteichthyes: Serranidae), from the western Mediterranean Sea

• DOI: 10.1111/jfd.12836
• Publication Date: 2018-06-21T11:04:37Z
• Authors: Marta Polinas; Salvatore Mele; Francesc Padrós; Paolo Merella; Elisabetta Antuof...; Adam Gouraguine; Olga Reñones
• Keywords: Serranidae; Epinephelus; Myxosporea

Abstract The dusky grouper Epinephelus marginatus (Lowe) is an ecologically and commercially important fish species of the Atlantic Mediterranean coastal rocky habitats. Despite records didymozoid infections in several species, identification pathogenesis these parasites E. are lacking. aim this study to characterize didymozoids , particularly their mechanisms infection histopathological features. Dusky groupers ( n = 205) were caught off Majorca Island (western Sea) examined for parasites. Of sampled, 45% infected with white yellow capsules brown nodules, found on gills pseudobranchs. Parasite abundance had a strong positive relationship length; only larger than 20 cm infected, suggesting via consumption intermediate host, which size was limiting factor. contained two convoluted viable adult trematodes, identified as Didymodiclinus sp., close contact host capillary vessels, no evidence tissue inflammatory response. Conversely, nodules containing degraded surrounded by intense infiltrate. findings suggest that sp. have potential evade host's immune system inhibiting