Parasites of Largemouth Bass (Micropterus Salmoides)
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PARASITES OF LARGEMOUTH BASS (MICROPTERUS SALMOIDES) IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA By Daniel J. Troxel A Thesis Presented to The Faculty of Humboldt State University In Partial Fulfillment of The Requirements for the Degree Masters of Science Natural Resources, Fisheries November, 2010 ABSTRACT Parasites of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) in northern California Daniel J. Troxel A total of fifty largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) were collected from Clear Lake, Lake Berryessa, Lake Sonoma, Trinity Lake and the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta. All fish were infected with at least one parasite, with the exception of one juvenile fish from Trinity Lake in which no parasites were found. The following parasites were observed in largemouth bass: Actinocleiudus unguis, Clavunculus bursatus, Clinostomum complanatum, Proteocephalus pearsei, Contracaecum sp., Hysterothylacium (?) sp., Spinitectus carolini, Camallanus sp., Neoechinorhynchus cylindratus, Myzobdella lugubris, Batracobdella phalera, Ergasilus centrarchidarum, and Argulus flavescens. In addition to these identified parasites, I also found an unidentified leech and Proteocephalus sp. plerocercoids, which could not be identified to species. All of these parasites have been previously reported infecting largemouth bass. Clinostomum complanatum, Contracaecum sp. and Myzobdella lugubris, have been previously reported in California; but these are the first known reports from largemouth bass in California. Actinocleidus unguis was the only parasite found that has previously been reported to infect largemouth bass in California. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would first and foremost like to acknowledge my parents, without their support over the past two years this project would not have been possible. I would like to thank Dr. Gary Hendrickson for his contributions in the laboratory during the long process of identifying parasites. Thank you to my other committee members, Dr. Kristine Brenneman and Dr. Rick Brown, who were very accommodating in making time for me and sharing valuable input during the review process. A thanks goes out to Steve Monk, HSU Boat Safety Officer, for his help in allowing me to use my own boat for this project. Thank you to Kyle Murphy and Monty Currier from California Department of Fish Game, for taking an interest in my study and offering what help they could. I would especially like to thank the many anglers; Paul, Scott, Jen, Derrick, John, Len, Bill and Eric from National Bass West, The Contra Costa Bass Club, and Redwood Empire Bass Club who donated their time and effort to help me get my fish. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS……………………………………………………….....iv LIST OF TABLES……………………………………………………….…....……...vi LIST OF FIGURES……………………………………………………….…………vii INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………….…….…...1 STUDY SITES………………………………………...………………………....……5 MATERIALS AND METHODS……………………………………………….…....11 RESULTS………………………………………...……………………….….….…...16 DISCUSSION………………………………………………....………………..……44 LITERATURE CITED……………………………………………...…….………….55 PERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS………………………………………………...59 v LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1 Common fish species reported from five collection locations: Trinity Lake, Clear Lake, Lake Sonoma, Lake Berryessa and the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta…………………………………………………..……………..…7 2 Abundance of parasite species recovered from largemouth bass at five collection locations in northern California……………….………………….17 vi LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1 Map of northern California featuring five collection locations: Trinity Lake, Clear Lake, Lake Sonoma, Lake Berryessa and the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta. ……………………………………………..…………….……..….6 2 Haptoral hooks of Actinocleidus unguis from gills of largemouth bass collected from Clear Lake, Lake County, California, March 2009………….....19 3 Clavunculus bursatus from gills of largemouth bass collected from Lake Berryessa, Napa County, California, November 2009……………...………….20 4 Clinostomum complanatum from gills of largemouth bass collected from the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta San Joaquin County, California, October 2009……………………………………………………………….……22 5 Scolex of an adult Proteocephalus pearsei from the intestine of a largemouth bass collected from Clear Lake, Lake County, California, March 2009……...…23 6 Scolex of an immature adult Proteocephalus pearsei from the intestine of a largemouth bass collected from the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta, San Joaquin County, California, November 2009………...………………..……24 7 Scolex of a Proteocephalus sp. plerocercoid from the mesenteries of a largemouth bass collected from Clear Lake, Lake County, California, March 2009…………………………………………………………………………..….25 8 Anterior (featuring intestinal caecum) of juvenile Contracaecum sp. from the mesentaries of a largemouth bass collected from Clear Lake, Lake County, California, September 2009……………………...…………………………..…..27 9 Anterior of Hysterothylacium (?) sp. from the stomach of a largemouth bass collected from the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta, San Joaquin County, California, October 2009………………………………………..………28 10 Anterior of a female Spinitectus carolini from the intestine of a largemouth bass collected from the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta, San Joaquin County, California, October 2009…………………...………………………..….29 vii LIST OF FIGURES (CONTINUED) 11 Posterior of a male Spinitectus carolini from the intestine of a largemouth bass collected from Lake Sonoma, Sonoma County, California, November 2009……………………………………………………………….……..……….30 12 Anterior of a Camallanus sp. from the intestine of a largemouth bass collected from Clear Lake, Lake County, California, September 2009……………………31 13 Male Neoechinorhynchus cylindratus from the intestine of a largemouth bass collected from the Lake Berryessa, Napa County, California, November 2009………………………..……………………………………………..……...32 14 Proboscis of a female Neoechinorhynchus cylindratus from the intestine of a largemouth bass collected from the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta, San Joaquin County, California, October 2009……………………..……..….…34 15 Anterior of a Myzobdella lugubris (featuring separate eye spots) from the fins of a largemouth bass collected from Lake Berryessa, Napa County, California, November 2009………………………….…………..……………....35 16 Anterior of a Myzobdella lugubris (alternate body form) from the pectoral fin of a largemouth bass collected from Clear Lake, Lake County, California, March 2009…………………….………………….………..……….....……...…36 17 Batractobdella phalera from the pectoral fin of a largemouth bass collected from the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta, San Joaquin County, California, October 2009…………………………..……………..……..……….37 18 Fused eye spots of a Batractobdella phalera from the pectoral fin of a largemouth bass collected from the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta, San Joaquin County, California, October 2009………………………..……..………38 19 Unidentified leech (Batracobdella phalera(?)) from the gills of a largemouth bass collected from the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta, San Joaquin County, California, October 2009………………………….…….………..…….39 20 Ergasilus centrarchidarum from the gills of a largemouth bass collected from Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta, San Joaquin County, California, October 2009……………………………...…………………..………..………...40 viii LIST OF FIGURES (CONTINUED) 21 Secondary antenna of an Ergasilus centrarchidarum from the gills of a largemouth bass collected from Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta, San Joaquin County, California, October 2009………………….…….....…………..42 22 Argulus flavescens from a largemouth bass collected from Clear Lake, Lake County, California, March 2009……………………………………..…………..43 ix INTRODUCTION Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) are the most widely pursued game fish in California (Moyle 2002). Historically, largemouth bass ranged north from northeastern Mexico through the Mississippi River drainage into Ontario and Quebec, east into the southeastern US south of South Carolina, and west to the Rocky Mountains. Largemouth bass have been introduced to countries across the globe, including Japan, Guatemala, Italy, Spain, South Africa and Zimbabwe (Moyle 2002). There are two subspecies of largemouth bass: the northern strain (M. s. salmoides) inhabiting most of the native range and the Florida strain (M. s. floridanus) from Florida. Northern strain largemouth bass were introduced into California in 1891 and 1895 in aquarium tanks on rail cars by the Central Pacific Railroad. Initial introductions were done by the U.S. Fish Commission (Smith 1895) but anglers and agency biologist spread them throughout the state. Florida largemouth bass were first introduced into San Diego County in 1959 (Moyle 2002). They were subsequently spread throughout California and have since hybridized with northern largemouth bass. Largemouth bass parasites have been extensively studied in their native range and are known hosts to many types of parasites including fungi, protozoa, Monogenea, Trematoda, Cestoidea, Nematoda, Gordiacea, Acanthocephala, Hirudinea, Mollusca and Crustacea (see Hoffman 1999 for a review). However, relatively few parasite studies have been conducted in places where centrarchid bass have been introduced. Surprisingly, very little is known about parasites of bass in California, given the importance of largemouth bass to sport angling in the state. Mizelle and Crane (1964) looked at relative sizes of 1 2 monogenetic trematodes between those collected in California and those collected at locations within the native range of largemouth bass. Becker