Fish Parasitology: Ecology, Risk Assessment and Environmental Implications

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Aquatic Animals".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2024) | Viewed by 3353

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Laboratorio de Parasitología, INIBIOMA, CONICET—Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Quintral 1250, San Carlos de Bariloche 8400, Argentina
Interests: parasitism; taxonomy of parasites; transmission strategies; ecology of parasitism; zoonosis; invasive parasites

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Guest Editor
Núcleo de Pesquisa em Limnologia Ictiologia e Aquicultura, Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Maringá, Brazil
Interests: parasite biology; molecular parasitology; parasitic diseases; biodiversity; zoonotic diseases

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Parasites play a crucial role in the ecology of fish populations and their ecosystems, with far-reaching implications for both aquatic biodiversity and human activities, such as fishery management and aquaculture. This Special Issue is dedicated to advancing our understanding of the intricate relationships between fishes, parasites, and the environment. Our primary objective is to provide a comprehensive platform for the dissemination of research that bridges the disciplines of ecology, parasitology, and environmental science. The scope of this Special Issue encompasses a wide array of topics:

  1. Ecological Interactions—Exploring the ecological dynamics between fish hosts and their parasites, including the impact of parasitism on hosts’ behavior, physiology, and population dynamics.
  2. Risk Assessment—Assessing the potential risks posed by fish parasites to both wild and cultured fish populations, with a focus on identifying the emerging threats and potential control strategies.
  3. Conservation—Discussing the conservation implications of invasive fish hosts and co-invasive parasites. The introduction of non-native fish and their parasites can have profound ecological and economic consequences, including the displacement of native species, altered community dynamics, and increased disease risks. 

We invite researchers, academicians, and practitioners to contribute original research articles to this Special Issue, which seek to enhance our understanding of the complex interplay between fishes, parasites, and the environment. We also aim to contribute to the sustainable management of aquatic ecosystems and the protection of fish populations worldwide.

Dr. Gustavo Viozzi
Prof. Dr. Ricardo M. Takemoto
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • parasites
  • fishes
  • pathology
  • co-invasions
  • aquatic ecology

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 7472 KiB  
Article
Analyzing the Interaction between Tetrahymena pyriformis and Bacteria under Different Physicochemical Conditions When Infecting Guppy Using the eDNA Method
by Jialu Wang, Xiaosong Wang, Lihui Liu, Xiang Wang, Jiarui Wang, Yue Zheng, Li Wang and Xuming Pan
Animals 2024, 14(15), 2194; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14152194 - 27 Jul 2024
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Abstract
In the aquaculture system of ornamental fish, the interaction between bacterial microbiota and ciliate protozoa can prevent or promote disease outbreaks, and different physicochemical conditions will affect the relationships between them. We investigated the interaction between bacterial microbiota and the parasite Tetrahymena pyriformis [...] Read more.
In the aquaculture system of ornamental fish, the interaction between bacterial microbiota and ciliate protozoa can prevent or promote disease outbreaks, and different physicochemical conditions will affect the relationships between them. We investigated the interaction between bacterial microbiota and the parasite Tetrahymena pyriformis when infecting Poecilia reticulata (guppy) under different physicochemical conditions. The abundance of T. pyriformis in water, the relative abundance of bacterial species, and histopathological observation were studied or monitored using environmental DNA (eDNA) extraction technology, the qPCR method, and 16s rRNA sequencing, respectively. The morphological identification and phylogenetic analysis of T. pyriformis were carried out. The infected guppy tissue was also stained by the hematoxylin and eosin methods. The results showed: (1) the bacterial communities of water samples were mainly composed of species assigned to Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes, and Tabrizicola and Puniceicoccaceae were positively correlated with fish mortality, T. pyriformis abundance, and temperature. (2) Arcicella and Methyloversatilis universalis with different correlations between ciliates appeared in different treatment groups, the result of which proved that environmental factors affected the interaction between bacteria and T. pyriformis. (3) Lower temperatures and a higher pH were more beneficial for preventing disease outbreaks. Full article
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11 pages, 632 KiB  
Article
Seasonal Effects on Health Status and Parasitological Traits of an Invasive Minnow in Iberian Waters
by David Almeida, Juan Diego Alcaraz-Hernández, Alejandra Cruz, Esther Lantero, David H. Fletcher and Emili García-Berthou
Animals 2024, 14(10), 1502; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14101502 - 18 May 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1408
Abstract
Biological invasions are of special conservation concern in the Iberian Peninsula and other regions with high levels of endemism. Environmental variability, such as the seasonal fluctuations of Mediterranean streams, is a key factor that affects the spread of aquatic species in novel habitats. [...] Read more.
Biological invasions are of special conservation concern in the Iberian Peninsula and other regions with high levels of endemism. Environmental variability, such as the seasonal fluctuations of Mediterranean streams, is a key factor that affects the spread of aquatic species in novel habitats. Fish parasites have a great potential to reflect such changes in the habitat features of freshwater ecosystems. The aim of this study consisted of seasonally analysing the health status and parasitological traits of non-native fish in Iberian waters. In particular, a strongly invasive population of Languedoc minnow Phoxinus septimaniae (leuciscid species native to south-east France) was assessed in Tordera Stream (north-eastern Iberian Peninsula, Mediterranean conditions). Fish were sampled in April, July, and October 2023 by electrofishing. Health status (external/internal organs) was significantly better in autumn (HAI = 28.8) than spring (HAI = 35.6). Life-cycle complexity was higher in spring (LCI = 1.98), whereas parasite abundance and Shannon diversity were significantly lower in autumn (TA = 19.6 and H’ = 2.15, respectively). In October (more ‘benign’ environmental conditions in Iberian streams), minnows could display elevated foraging activity, with fish increasing their health condition and level of parasite resistance/tolerance. Overall results showed a particular seasonal profile of health and parasite infra-communities that allow this minnow species to thrive under highly fluctuating habitat conditions. This information could help environmental managers to control non-native fish in Mediterranean streams. Full article
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