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Spatial distribution of Monogenean and Myxosporidian gill
parasites of Barbus martorelli Roman, 1971 (Teleostei:
Cyprinid): The role of intrinsic factors
Tombi Jeannette1*, Nack Jacques2 and
Bilong Bilong Charles Félix1
1Department
of Animal Biology and physiology, Faculty of Science,
University of Yaoundé I, P. O. Box 812, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
*Corresponding
author. E-mail: tombijeannette
2007@yahoo.fr. Tel:
(237)75854320.
Accepted 22 June, 2010 |
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The gill
parasite fauna of
Barbus
martorelli is
much diversified and this raises up the problem of biotope
partitioning by these pathogens. The gill colonization
analysis of these organisms as well as four distribution
gradients: transversal, lateral, longitudinal and vertical
was undertaken as a function of the host’s side.
The distribution of B. martorelli gill parasites did
not reveal any asymmetry in function of the host’s side. The
transversal partitioning applied solely to Dactylogyrus
insolitus and Myxobolus barbi. The lateral
partitioning was inexistent except for D. insolitus
which was mostly concentrated on the posterior hemibranch of
arch II and Myxobolus njinei which colonized mostly
the anterior face of the same arch. The longitudinal
partitioning was observed only for M. barbi which
mostly encysted into sectors which are more opened to
respiratory water current. The vertical partitioning of
Monogeneans was subject to the size of their sclerified
haptorial pieces; therefore, Dactylogyrus bopeleti
and D. insolitus, which are robust, accumulate mostly
in the filamentary distal zone whereas Dactylogyrus
simplex and Dactylogyrus maillardi, which are
weaker, prefer the basal zone. The volume of ventilated
water currents and certain intrinsic factors of these fish
parasites may determine their spatial gill distribution.
Key words:
Barbus
martorelli,
gill parasites, Myxosporidia, Monogenea, spatial
distribution, intrinsic factors.
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