FIRST RECORD OF SOLOSTAMENIDES PAUCITESTICULATUS KRITSKY & ÖKTENER, 2015 (MONOGENOIDEA, MICROCOTYLIDAE) FROM GILLS OF ABU MULLET PLANILIZA ABU (HECKEL, 1843) FROM EUPHRATES RIVER OF SAMAWA CITY, SOUTHERN IRAQ

Abstract

A total of 54 abu mullet Planiliza abu (Heckel, 1843) were collected from two stations (north and south stations) along the Euphrates River near Samawa City, Al-Muthanna province and were examined during the period from October 2016 till September 2017 for parasites. Six out of 35 examined fishes from the north station (17.1%) and one out of 19 examined fishes (5.3%) from south station were infected with the microcotylid Solostamenides paucitesticulatus Kritsky & Oktener, 2015. The parasite was illustrated and described, and it is considered as a new record for the parasitic fauna of fishes of Iraq.