Eeckhaut, I.

Hamel, J.-F.

Mercier, A.

Open Marine Archive

E M B S  5 2   P I R A N ,  S L O V E N I A  
 
36 
NEW HOST FOR THE PARASITE WORM ANOPLODIUM SP. (RHABDITOPHORA: 
PLATYHELMINTHES) FOUND IN THE SEA CUCUMBER ISOSTICHOPUS FUSCUS 
(HOLOTHUROIDEA: ECHINODERMATA) 
 
Jean-François HAMEL1, Igor EECKHAUT2 and Annie MERCIER3  
 
1Society for the Exploration and Valuing of the Environment (SEVE), 21 Phils Hill Road, St. Philips 
(Newfoundland and Labrador), A1M 2B7, Canada  
2Laboratoire de Biologie Marine, University of Mons-Hainaut, 6, Avenue Champ de Mars, 7000 
Mons, Belgium  
3Department of Ocean Sciences (OSC), Memorial University, St. John’s (Newfoundland and 
Labrador), A1C 5S7, Canada 
 
e-mail: jfhamel.seve@gmail.com 
 
Presentation type: POSTER  
 
A flatworm was discovered inside the coelomic cavity of the commercial sea cucumber 
Isostichopus fuscus along the Pacific coast of Mexico. Based on morphological and genetic 
evidence, it was determined to be Anoplodium sp. belonging to class Rhabditophora. The sea 
cucumber I. fuscus constitutes a new host. The flatworms were consistently found on the surface 
of the haemal vessels and the rete mirabilis of 92% of sea cucumbers sampled along the cost of 
Mazatlan and 88% of sea cucumbers collected in the sea of Cortez. The infestation rate varied from 
1 to 725 flatworms per individual, in both male and female sea cucumbers. When more than ~120 
Anoplodium sp. were counted in a single host, the gonad of the latter were either very small (≤1.2 
g wet weight or GI <0.26) or absent, suggesting that this species is detrimental to I. fuscus and may 
be considered parasitic. Combined with the threat of overfishing throughout its distribution range, 
the discovery of this parasitic infestation in certain areas of the Eastern Pacific could regionally 
deplete or decimate populations of I. fuscus. 
 
  


New host for the parasite worm <i>Anoplodium</i> sp. (Rhabditophora: Platyhelminthes) found in the sea cucumber <i>Isostichopus fuscus</i> (Holothuroidea: Echinodermata)

New host for the parasite worm <i>Anoplodium</i> sp. (Rhabditophora: Platyhelminthes) found in the sea cucumber <i>Isostichopus fuscus</i> (Holothuroidea: Echinodermata)

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