Occurrence of Temnocephala chaeropsis on Cherax tenuimanus imported into South Africa, and notes on its infestation of an indigenous crab

Marron, freshwater crayfish imported from Australia, were heavily infested with a turbellarian, Temnocephala chaeropsis. The turbellarians were limited to those body regions most often exposed to food particles lost during the crayfish's feeding. They survived up to 43 days without direct contact with a host. Results suggest that the marron did not die as a result of temnocephalid infestation but probably of infection by the pathogen Aeromonas hydrophila. This bacterial disease can spread to humans. C. tenuimanus can spread to indigenous crabs, Potamonautes warreni. -from Author