Indian Journal of Geo Marine Sciences Vol. 47 (04), April 2018, pp. 910-918 Lernanthropids (Copepoda: Siphonostomatoida), Parasitic on Fishes from Southeast Coast of India Raja, K.1,2, Rajendran, N1, Saravanakumar, A.2, Gopalakrishnan, A.2, Vijayakumar, R.2, & Venmathi Maran, B.A.3* 1PG & Research Department of Zoology, Government Arts College, Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu, India 2Center of Advanced Study in Marine Biology, Faculty of Marine Sciences, Annamalai University, Parangipettai 608 502, Tamilnadu, India 3Endangered Marine Species Research Unit (UEMS), Borneo Marine Research Institute, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Jalan UMS 88400, Sabah, Malaysia *[E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]] Received 30 May 2016 ; revised 21 July 2016 Sixteen species of parasitic copepods (Siphonostomatoida) including six different genera of the family Lernanthropidae Kabata were collected from marine fishes of southeast coast of India. All fishes were collected from the fishing ports of Nagapattinam and Parangipettai, Tamil Nadu, southeast coast of India for three years from January 2011 to December 2013. Off 16 identified species, two species of Lernanthropinus, one Lernanthropsis, nine Lernanthropus, one Mitrapus, one Norion and two Sagum were recorded. All these ectoparasitic copepods were recovered from the gill filaments of the host. Ecological study (season wise) was carried out for four species of lernanthropids for three years. Prevalence was higher in postmonsoon than premonsoon seasons. However, the mean intensity was not observed with much variation between seasons. Through statistical analysis we found significant interaction between prevalence and seasons for four species (P<0.001). It is a first record of the occurrence for Mitrapus heteropodus. [Keywords: Marine fish, Parasitic copepods, Taxonomy, Lernanthropidae, Ecology, Prevalence, First record, India.] Introduction lernanthropids collected from southeast coast of India. Parasitic copepods are common on cultured and In addition, season wise ecological study was carried wild marine fin fishes and there is a vast literature out for limited number of species, since many fish describing their taxonomy and host ranges1,2. The hosts were not available throughout the seasons. family Lernanthropidae is one of the dominant New host records have also been discussed. families of the order Siphonostomatoida comprising more than 150 species and they are infested mostly on Materials and Methods gill filaments of the host fishes1,3,4. Lernanthropus is The present study was carried out for three years one of the dominant genera of the family from January 2011 to December 2013 in Tamil Nadu Lernanthropidae infecting marine fishes in India, along the southeast coast of India. Marine fishes were consists of 44 species and most of the species are collected from two landing centers. Nagapattinum host-specific1,3,5. Lernanthropids can cause (Station 1: 10o 45’ N; 79o 46’ E) and Parangipettai pathological effects on fishes and can directly feed on (Station 2: 11o 30’ N; 79o 46’ E). Fishes were caught gills and blood of the host fish, in particular through gill net and long line fishery. They were Lernanthropus krøyeri caused high mortalities in brought to laboratory to investigate the parasitic European seabass6. It caused respiratory failure and copepod infestation. Parasites were removed from the severe stress in cultured fishes7. host using fine forceps and preserved in 70 % ethanol. In our recent study on parasitic copepods of Further the samples were studied using a microscope southeast coast of India, number of copepods was (Olympus). The prevalence and mean intensity of the collected from marine fishes. The family parasite infestation were calculated. Parasites were Lernanthropidae, here we report has been found with identified according to its morphological features1,5,8. six genera out of total eight genera of this family. The Photographs were taken using a digital camera objectives of the present study was to reveal the (Nikon-D-40). All host fishes were identified using infestation, prevalence and mean intensity of Fish Base9. Prevalence and mean intensity were RAJA et al.: LERNANTHROPIDS (COPEPODA: SIPHONOSTOMATOIDA) 911 calculated10,11. Two-way ANOVA statistical analysis (Lernanthropinus Do, Lernanthropsis Do, was performed in the ecological aspects of parasitic Lernanthropus de Balinville, Mitrapus Song & Chen, copepods. Voucher specimens are deposited at the Norion von Nordmann, Sagum Wilson) (Table 1), of museum of Centre of Advanced Study in Marine the family Lernanthropidae were collected from Biology, Annamalai University, Parangipettai, India. the gill filaments of marine fishes of southeast coast Results of India. The six genera are: Lernanthropinus (2), Sixteen species of lernanthropids (Copepoda: Lernanthropsis (1), Lernanthropus (9), Mitrapus (1), Siphonostomatoida) including six different genera Norion (1) and Sagum (2). There are 16 species and its Table 1—Sixteen species of Lernanthropids (Copepoda, Siphonostomatoida, Lernanthropidae) and its ecological information from south east coast of India. Copepods Host Site Size (mm) Prevalence Mean Maximum Voucher (%) intensity intensity specimens Lernanthropinus Do (in Ho & Do, 1985) Lernanthropinus forficatus (Redkar, Trichiurus savala Gills 3-4.5 (3.8 ± 0.5) 17.3 3.2 7 CASMB-35 Rangnekar et Murti, 1949) (Cuvier, 1829) Lernanthropinus sphyraenae Mene maculata Gills 3.6-4.3 (3.9 ± 0.4) 67.4 4.8 11 CASMB-36 (Yamaguti & Yamasu, 1959) (Bloch and Schneider, 1801) Lernanthropsis Do (in Ho & Do, 1985) Lernanthropsis mugilii Mugil cephalus Linnaeus, Gills 7.6-9.2 (8.6 ± 0.6) 98 15.8 36 CASMB-37 (Shishido, 1898) 1758 Lernanthropus (de Blainville, 1822) Lernanthropus corniger (Yamaguti, Megalaspis cordyla Gills 2.6-3.1 (2.8 ± 0.2) 28 3.1 12 CASMB-38 1954) (Linnaeus, 1758) Lernanthropus Stolephorus indicus (van Gills 2.6-3.1 (2.8 ± 0.2) 37.3 2.7 16 CASMB-39 dussumieria Gnanamuthu, 1949 Hasselt, 1823) and Dussumieria acuta Valenciennes, 1847 Lernanthropus latis Lates calcarifer Gills 6-8.3 (7.2 ± 0.9) 76.5 8.5 29 CASMB-40 Yamaguti, 1954 (Bloch, 1790) Lernanthropus lativentris Lethrinus harak Gills 2.3-4.5 (3.6 ± 0.8) 34.6 4.1 8 CASMB-41 Heller, 1865 (Forsskål, 1775) Lernanthropus leiognathi Leiognathus lineolatus Gills 2.5-4.7 (3.6 ± 0.9) 35.5 2.7 9 CASMB-42 Tripathi, 1962 (Valenciennes, 1835) Lernanthropus otolithi Pillai, Daysciaena albida Gills 2.4-4.3 (3.3 ± 0.8) 15.2 2.7 10 CASMB-43 1963 (Cuvier, 1830) Lernanthropus polynemi Richiardi, Eleutheronema Gills 6.2-8.6 (7.5 ± 1.1) 31.2 2.4 13 CASMB-44 1881 tetradactylum (Shaw, 1804) Lernanthropus sillaginis Sillago sihama Gills 2.1-3.5 (2.7 ± 0.6) 22 3.7 11 CASMB-45 Pillai, 1963 (Forsskål, 1775) Lernanthropus tylosuri Tylosurus crocodilus Gills 5.1-7.4 (6.7 ± 0.7) 41.7 2.6 9 CASMB-46 Richiardi, 1880 crocodilus (Peron and Lesueur, 1821) Mitrapus Song and Chen, 1976 Mitrapus heteropodus Tenualosa toli Gills 7.5-8.9 (7.9 ± 1) 48.3 4.6 12 CASMB-48 (Yu, 1933) (Valenciennes, 1847) Norion von Nordmann, 1864 Norion priacanthi Priacanthus hamrur Gills 3.2-4.3 (3.7 ± 0.5) 80.8 4 21 CASMB-49 (Kirtisinghe, 1956) (Forsskål, 1775) Sagum (Wilson, 1913) Sagum epinepheli Epinephelus fasciatus Gills 3.2-4.5 (3.8 ± 0.6) 8.2 5.7 7 CASMB-50 (Yamaguti & Yamasu, 1960) (Forsskål, 1775) Sagum folium Ho, Liu et Lin, Lutjanus russelli Gills 2.6-4.2 (3.4 ± 0.6) 16.3 3.1 9 CASMB-51 2011 (Bleeker, 1849) 912 INDIAN J. MAR. SCI., VOL. 47, NO. 04, APRIL 2018 hosts are given: Lernanthropinus forficatus Redkar, Ecological notes on four lernanthropids Rangnekar & Murti (Host: Trichiurus savala), L. Among sixteen species, season wise study sphyraenae Yamaguti & Yamasu (Host: Mene was carried out for four species including three maculata); Lernanthropsis mugilii Shishido (Host: species of Lernanthropus and one species of Norion Mugil cephalus); Lernanthropus corniger Yamaguti (L. dussumieria, L. polynemi, L. leiognathy and (Host: Megalaspis cordyla), L. dussumieria N. priacanthi) for three years. Prevalence was higher Gnanamuthu (Hosts: Dussumieria acuta and in postmonsoon than premonsoon seasons. But mean Stolephorus indicus), L. latis Yamaguti (Host: Lates intensity showed no much variation with the season calcarifer), L. lativentris Heller (Host: Lethrinus harak), (Fig. 4-7).Through 2-way ANOVA statistical analysis L. leiognathi Tripathi (Host: Leiognathus lineolatus), L. we found significant (P<0.001) interaction between otolithi Pillai (Host: Nibea albida), L. polynemi prevalence and seasons for all four species, but it was Richiardi (Host: Eleutheronema tetradactylum), L. only one species for mean intensity (Table 2). sillaginis Pillai (Host: Sillago sihama), L. tylosuri Richiardi (Host: Tylosurus crocodilus crocodilus); Lernanthropus dussumieria Mitrapus heteropodus Yü (Host: Tenualosa toli); Norion A total of 18,202 individuals were examined out of priacanthi Kirtisinghe (Host: Priacanthus hamrur); them 6,895 were infested. The overall prevalence and Sagum epinepheli Yamugati & Yamasu (Epinephelus mean intensity were 37.85 % and 2.28, respectively. fasciatus) and Sagum folium Ho, Liu and Lin (Host: Season wise high prevalence of 73.4 % and mean Lutjanus ruselli) (Figs. 1- 3 ). intensity of 3 was observed in postmonsoon season of 2011. Fig. 1—Lernanthropinus forficatus, dorsal view (a), ventral view (b); Lernanthropinus sphyraenae, female dorsal view (c), ventral Fig. 2—Lernanthropus lativentris, dorsal view (a) ventral view (b); view (d), male dorsal view (e), ventral view (f); Lernanthropsis