DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS Vol. 41: 81-82,2000 1 Published May 25 l Dis Aquat Org

NOTE

Occurrence of Bothriocephalus acheilognathi in cyprinid fish from three lakes in the flood plain of the River,

P. Nie', G. T. Wang,W. J.Yao, Y. A. Zhang,Q. Gao

State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, and Laboratory of Fish Diseases, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. 430072. Province. PR China

ABSTRACT. Cyprinid fish, Hemiculter leucisculus, Cultrich- A large number of lakes of various sizes are distrib- thys erythropterus and Culter dabryi, were sampled from uted in the flood plain of the Yangtze River (Chen & Liangzi, Honghu and Tangxun lakes in the flood plain of the Yangtze River. The cestode Bothriocephalus acheilognathi Xu 1995). In the present study, the 3 lakes sampled Yamaguti, 1934 was found in the 3 lakes, but C. erythropterus (Table 1) are located in Hubei province. All fish were sampled from was found uninfected due proba- gill-netted, and transferred to the laboratory on the bly to the small sample size. Findings of the cestode in the 3 same day. The fork length and body weight of each lakes represent the first record of the parasite in the flood fish were measured. Intestines of the fish were plain of the Yangtze River, indicating that B. acheilognathi may be distributed much wider in China than previously rec- removed and examined under a microscope. Hel- ognized. minths found were identified alive and carmine- stained. KEY WORDS: Bothriocephalus acheilognathi . Hemiculter The cyprinids Hemiculter leucisculus (Basilewsky), leucisculus - Cultrichthys erythropterus . Culter dabryi . Cultnchthys erythropterus (Basilewsky) and Culter Yangtze River flood plain lakes . China dabryi (Bleeker) were sampled and they all harboured the cestode Bothriocephalus acheilognathi (Table 2). Prevalence and abundance of the cestode was higher in During a study of diseases of grass carp Cteno- C. erythropterus than in H. leucisculus in both Honghu pharyngodon idellus C. & V., in Guangdong Province and Tangxun lakes. The absence of the cestode from of south China, a pathogenic cestode was found and C. erythropterus in Liangzi lake and the higher infec- named Bothriocephalus gowkongensis Yeh, 1955 (Liao tion level in C. dabryi in may be ex- & Shih 1956). This parasite has subsequently caused plained by the small sample sizes of each fish species. worldwide concern, due to its pathogenecity and dis- Bothriocephalus acheilognathi has been recorded in tribution. The parasite, now known as B. acheilognathi Hemiculter leucisculus in highland lakes in southwest Yamaguti, 1934, is considered to have been introduced China (Nie 1995), whereas Cultrichthys erythropterus from China initially to East Europe and thence to other and Culter dabryi are new final hosts of the cestode. parts of the world (Hoole 1994). Despite its wide distri- Since Bothriocephalus acheilognathi has not been bution and the large number of fish species reported as found in Cypnnus carpio and grass carp, the 2 major definitive hosts (Hoole 1994), the cestode was consid- definitive hosts of the cestode worldwide, nor in many ered to have a rather limited distribution in China (Pan other species of fish in lakes in the flood plain of the et al. 1990, Nie 1995). Indeed, the cestode has not hith- erto been found in carp Cyprinus carpio L. in lakes in Table 1. Features of the 3 lakes in the flood plain of the lower the flood plain of the Yangtze River (Nie et al. 1999). and middle reaches of the Yangtze River, Chna However, during further investigations into the fish parasites in lakes in the flood plain, B, acheilognathi Feature Liangzi Honghu Tangxun was recorded in 3 species of cyprinid fish and in 3 lakes. The occurrence of this cestode in these lakes is Longitude 114°21'-39'E 113"11'-28'E 114"19'-29'E therefore reported in this paper. Latitude 3O005'-18'N 29'38'- 59'N 30°23'- 29'N Area (km2) 304.3 344.4 36.6 Depth (m) 6.2, 4.16 2.2, 1.91 2.4, 1.85 (maximum, average)

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Table 2. Prevalence (P,%) and abundance (A, mean * SD) of the cestode Bothriocephalus acheilognathi in Hemiculter leuciscu- lus, CulMchthys erythropterus and Culter dabryi from 3 lakes in the flood plain of the Yangtze Faver, China. N: sample size; FL: fish fork length in cm (mean i SD); -: no data obtained

Host species Liangzi Honghu Tangxun N FLa P A N FL P A N FL P A

C. erythropterus 10 12.93 0 0 k1.28 C. dabryi

aSignificant differences not found for same species of fish between locahties (p > 0.05)

Yangtze River (?a.? et al. 1390, Nie ct al. !999), it was generally believed that B. acheilognathidid not exist Chen YY, Xu YG (1995) Hydrobiology and resources in lakes of the flood plain. Findings of the parasite in exploitation in Honghu Lake. Science Press, Beijing the 3 lakes may indicate that the number of species of Hoole D (1994) Tapeworm infections in fish: past and future definitive host and geographical distribution of the problems. In: Pike AW, Lewis JW (eds) Parasitic diseases cestode are wider than previously recognized in of fish. Samara Publishing Ltd, Tresaith China. However, further investigations should be car- Liao H, Shlh L (1956) Contribution to the biology and control of Bothriocephalus gowkongensis Yeh, a tapeworm para- ried out to clarify the epidemiology of the cestode in sitic in the young grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus China and be extended to encompass the study of C. & V.). Acta Hydrobiol Sin 2:129-185 genetic variations of the cestode populations in differ- Nie P (1995) Communities of intestinal helminths of carp, ent species of definitive hosts. Cyprinus carpio, in highland lakes in Yunnan province of southwest China. Acta Parasitol40:148-151 Nie P, Yao WJ, Gao Q, Wang GT, Zhang YA (1999) Diversity Acknowledgements. We are very grateful for a research grant of intestinal helminth communities of carp from six lakes from the Systematic and Evolutionary Biology Programme of in the flood plain of the Yangtze River, China. J Fish Biol the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Many anonymous f~sher- 54:1?1-180 men were involved in the sampling effort, to whom our sin- Pan JH. Zhang JY, Li ZC (1990) Fish parasitology. Science cere thanks are due. Press, Beijing

Editorial responsibility: WoLfgang Korting, Submitted: January 3, 2000; Accepted: February 29, 2000 Hannover, Germany Proofs received from author(s): April 17, 2000