Metazoan ectoparasites of two teleost fish, Boops boops (L.) and Mullus barbatus barbatus L. from Algerian coast: diversity, parasitological index and impact of parasitism

A total of 664 Boops Boops (Linnaeus, 1758) and 823 Mullus barbatus barbatus Linnaeus, 1758 from the east coast of Algeria were examined to study their parasitofauna. We collected eleven parasitic species (two monogeneans, three copepods, five isopods and one Branchiura) from B. boops, and four parasitic species (two copepods and two isopods) from M. barbatus barbatus. Five species were reported for the first time in Algeria. The site of attachment on the host and the degree of specificity varied according to the parasite species while the infestation rate changed according to the month and the host size. The parasitism did not show a significant negative impact on the biological parameters of the fish host.Au total, 664 Boops Boops (Linnaeus, 1758) et 823 Mullus barbatus barbatus Linnaeus, 1758 capturés le long du littoral Est de l’Algérie ont été examinés afin d’étudier leur parasitofaune. Sur B. boops, nous avons récolté 11 espèces d’ectoparasites (deux monogènes, trois copépodes, cinq isopodes et un Branchioura), et quatre espèces sur M. barbatus barbatus (deux copépodes et deux isopodes). Parmi les 14 ectoparasites identifiés, cinq ont été récoltés pour la première fois en Algérie. Le site d’attache sur l’hôte et le degré de spécificité étaient différents selon les espèces de parasites. Le taux d’infestation variait selon le mois et la taille de l’hôte. Le parasitisme n’a induit aucun impact négatif significatif sur les paramètres biologiques des poissons hôtes

Coastal eutrophication as a potential driver of functional homogenization of copepod species assemblages in the Mediterranean Sea

International audienceEutrophication as a consequence of anthropogenic nutrient enrichment is one of the major threats to biodiversity in nearshore and coastal marine waters, and consequently, for ecosystem functioning. This study explores changes in the biological organization of copepod assemblages along a Chl a gradient through an upscaling analysis of regional datasets from the coastal waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Results show that omnivorous copepods using passive and/or ambush feeding strategy are favored as Chl a increases, and copepod community shifts towards trophic homogenization by favoring generalist feeders against specialists. To our knowledge, this is the first report of functional homogenization of copepods as the result of eutrophication. The present study also demonstrates the potential use of trait-based approaches to explore the effect of human disturbances on marine copepod assemblages in marine ecosystems

Nematodes parasitizing Trachurus trachurus (L.) and Boops boops (L.) from Algeria

International audienceA total of 455 Boops boops (Linnaeus, 1758) and 953 Trachurus trachurus Linnaeus, 1758 from the east coast of Algeria were examined for their parasitic Nematoda. Two hundred ninety-five specimens of larval stages L3 and L4 were collected from the peritoneal cavity of these two examined fishes. Photonic and scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) studies were performed on these larvae specimens in order to characterize their morphology. Two different species of Nematoda (Anisikidae) were identified: Anisakis simplex (Rudolphi, 1809) and Hysterothylacium aduncum (Rudolphi, 1802). These two parasitic species were reported for the first time on T. trachurus and B. boops from the eastern coast of Algeria. These parasites were attached on different organs in the abdominal cavity (particularly on ovaries and testes). The infestation rate changed according to the month and the host size. The parasitism did not show a significant negative impact on the condition of the examined fishes

Directional Bilateral Asymmetry in Fish Otolith: A Potential Tool to Evaluate Stock Boundaries?

The otolith, found in both inner ears of bony fish, has mainly been used to estimate fish age. Another application that has been developing significantly in recent years, however, is the use of otolith shape as a tool for stock identification. Often, studies have directly used the shape asymmetry between the right and left otoliths. We tested the magnitude of directional asymmetry between the sagittal otoliths (left vs. right) of 2991 individuals according to their catch locations, and we selected species to evaluate whether directional asymmetry may itself be a tool to evaluate stock boundaries. Elliptical Fourier descriptors were used to describe the otolith shape. We used a flatfish, the common sole (Solea solea, n = 2431), from the eastern English Channel and the southern North Sea as well as a roundfish, the bogue (Boops boops, n = 560), from the Mediterranean Sea. Both species showed significant levels of directional asymmetry between the testing locations. The bogue otoliths showed significant asymmetry for only 5 out of 11 locations, with substantial separation between two large areas: the Algerian coast and the western part of the Italian coast. The sole otoliths showed significant asymmetry in the shape analysis (3.84–6.57%), suggesting a substantial separation between two large areas: the English and French parts of the English Channel and the southern North Sea. Consequently, directional bilateral asymmetry in otolith shape is a potential new method for stock identification.Postprin