Occurrence and distribution of parasitic Copepoda (Crustacea) off the southern coast of South Africa

Some 25 fish species were examined for parasitic copepods during a survey of SW Indian Ocean fish populations. Chondracanthus merlucci, Lernentoma asellina, Medesicaste penetrans, Caligus tetrodontis, Caligus coryphaenae, Caligus infestans, Lepeopthirius longispinosus, Achtheinus oblongus, Perrisopus armatus and Charopinus dalmanni were found. Hake Merluccius capensis was especially heavily parasitized by for example Medesicaste penetrans, which in some localities had a prevalence of 43%. Two sharks, especially bluntnose spiny dogfish Squalus megalops, were as much as 29% infested with P. armatus. -from Author