Argun Akif Özak

Parasitic copepods of the common sole, Solea solea (L.), from the Eastern Mediterranean coast of Turkey

There is increasing interest in the common sole, Solea solea (Linnaeus), as an alternative fish species in aquaculture in the Mediterranean region, and parasitic copepods are a potential hazard for farmed finfish. This paper provides taxonomic information on two species of sea lice (family Caligidae) collected from S. solea in eastern Mediterranean waters off the Turkish coast. Caligus brevicaudatus A. Scott, 1901 and Caligus apodus (Brian, 1924) were both found and this is the first report of C. brevicaudatus in Turkish waters. The discovery of C. apodus on S. solea is a new host record. Key diagnostic characters of both species are reported, supported by light and scanning electron microscopy observations. During a 12-month survey a prevalence of 28% was recorded for C. brevicaudatus, whereas for C. apodus peak prevalence was much lower (3%).

The discovery of Caligus macrurus Heller, 1865 (Copepoda: Caligidae) in the Mediterranean Sea, and the recognition of Sciaenophilus van Beneden, 1852 as a junior synonym of Caligus Müller, 1785

The siphonostomatoid parasitic copepod Caligus macrurus Heller, 1865 is redescribed based on new material collected from the gill filaments and pharynx of tripletail Lobotes surinamensis Bloch (Lobotidae) caught in Iskenderun Bay, Turkey. Key diagnostic characters and newly observed taxonomic features are reported, supported by light and scanning electron microscopy observations. This is the first report of C. macrurus from Mediterranean waters. Caligus macrurus is also recognised as conspecific with the better known Caligus bennetti Causey, 1953, found on the same host, which becomes a junior subjective synonym of C. macrurus. Caligus O.F. Müller, 1785 and Sciaenophilus van Beneden, 1852 have both been treated as valid genera within the family Caligidae although numerous doubts have been expressed over the validity of the latter. The morphological evidence does not support generic level distinction and we recommend the transfer of all species currently placed in Sciaenophilus into Caligus as C. tenuis (van Beneden, 1852), C. pharaonis von Nordmann, 1832, C. nibeae Shen, 1957 and C. macrurus.

Caligus solea n. sp. (Copepoda: Caligidae) parasitic on the common sole Solea solea (Linnaeus) from the north-eastern Mediterranean off the Turkish coast

A new species of caligid copepod, Caligus solea n. sp., is described from the common sole Solea solea (Linnaeus) caught off the north-eastern Mediterranean coast of Turkey. Both sexes of the parasite were collected from all over the upper body surface of its host. The new species belongs to the macarovi-group of species as established by Boxshall & Gurney (Bull Br Mus (Nat Hist) (Zool), 39:161–178, 1980), with which it shares the following four characters: (i) leg 4 with two-segmented exopod, distal segment carrying three apical spines but no lateral spine; (ii) distal exopodal segment of leg 1 with three plumose setae posteriorly plus four distal margin elements, spine 1 naked, spines 2 and 3 with accessory process and spine 4 about twice length of the others; (iii) females with one-segmented abdomen while males with two-segmented abdomen; (iv) male maxilliped with myxal process opposing the tip of the subchela. However, the new species differs from its congeners within the macarovi-group in the number of sensillae on each papilla on and around the postantennal process, and also in the absence of serrations along the distal margin of the maxilla. This is the twenty-eighth species of Caligus to be reported from the Mediterranean Sea.

The discovery of Caligus temnodontis Brian, 1924 (Copepoda: Caligidae) from the bluefish Pomatomus saltatrix (Linnaeus) in the eastern Mediterranean Sea

The temnodontis variety of Caligus mauritanicus Brian, 1924 described by Brian (1924) is a valid species known only from a single host species, Pomatomus saltatrix (Linnaeus). New material of this species has been examined from the same host fish caught from Abuqir Bay, Alexandria (Egypt), from Iskenderun Bay (Turkey) and from off the coast of South Africa. Using this material, C. temnodontis Brian, 1924 is redescribed and compared with related species. It is most closely related to the Indo-Pacific species C. pagrosomi Yamaguti, 1939.

Redescription of Caligus pagelli Delamare Deboutteville & Nuñes-Ruivo, 1958 (Copepoda: Caligidae) on the common pandora, Pagellus erythrinus (Linnaeus), in western Mediterranean waters off Corsica, France

Caligus pagelli Delamare Deboutteville & Nuñes-Ruivo, 1958, a rare and poorly known sea louse, is redescribed based on newly collected specimens of both sexes. The new material was collected from the common pandora Pagellus erythrinus (Linnaeus) caught in western Mediterranean waters off Corsica. The original and only available description of C. pagelli was incomplete and based only on females. Here we redescribe the female in detail, and describe the male for the first time.

Caligus mulli n. sp. (Copepoda: Caligidae) parasitic on two Mullid fishes from the eastern Mediterranean and adjacent Atlantic waters

A new species of caligid copepod, Caligus mulli n. sp., is described based on specimens collected from surmullet Mullus surmuletus Linnaeus from Atlantic waters off the Azores, Portugal, and from red mullet Mullus barbatus barbatus (Linnaeus) caught in the Mediterranean Sea, off the south-eastern coast of Turkey. Sixteen specimens (both sexes) were collected from the gill cavity of M. surmuletus, and one female was collected from the gill cavity of M. barbatus barbatus. The new species is described from both fish hosts. Detailed comparisons are presented with two closely related species, C. ocyurus Cressey, 1991 and C. biaculeatus Brian, 1914: the former can be distinguished by differences in shape of the dorsal cephalothoracic shield and postantennal process, while the latter differs in relative size of the distal spines on leg 4 and in the shape of the sternal furca. The new species can easily be distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following additional characteristics: (1) the corpus of the female maxilliped bears a prominent projection proximally and the myxal area is ornamented with a hyaline flange and two sensillae, and (2) the male maxilliped has a conical proximal projection on the corpus and a bifid myxal process opposing the claw.

Lepeophtheirus azoricus n. sp. (Copepoda: Caligidae) parasitic on dusky grouper, Epinephelus marginatus , from Atlantic waters off the Azores, Portugal

A new species of caligid copepod, Lepeophtheirus azoricus n. sp., is described from the dusky grouper, Epinephelus marginatus (Lowe), caught in Atlantic waters off Faial Island in the Azores. Both sexes of the parasite were collected from the body surface of the host by the application of osmotic shock. The new species can be distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: (1) an obvious conical projection on the posterolateral corners of the genital complex, (2) the relative lengths of the second and third spines on the terminal exopodal segment of leg 4, (3) the relative lengths of the setal elements on legs 5 and 6 of the male, (4) the ornamentation, and lack of a myxal process, on the proximal segment of the maxilliped in both sexes, (5) the unusual structure of the male antenna.

The discovery of Lepeophtheirus acutus Heegaard, 1943 (Copepoda: Caligidae) from two new elasmobranch hosts in the Mediterranean Sea, and a comparative redescription of Lepeophtheirus rhinobati Luque, Chaves et Cezar, 1998

In this study, supplementary information on the morphology of the siphonostomatoid copepod Lepeophtheirus acutus Heller, 1865 is given based on new material collected from the ventral body surface and mouth cavity of common guitarfish, Rhinobatos rhinobatos (Linnaeus) and from the branchial cavity of bull ray, Aetomylaeus bovinus (Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire) caught in Iskenderun Bay, Turkey. This is the first report of L. acutus from Mediterranean waters. Key diagnostic characters of both sexes are reported, supported by light and scanning electron microscopy observations. In addition, Lepeophtheirus rhinobati Luque, Chaves et Cezar, 1998, which is closely related to L. acutus and has been reported from the same host genus, Rhinobatos, is reexamined based on paratypes stored in the collections of the United States National Museum of Natural History. Some of the key diagnostic characters which were incompletely known or lacking in the original description of both sexes of L. rhinobati are redescribed and/or presented for the first time.

The first Report of The Parasitic Copepod Bomolochus unicirrus (Copepoda: Bomolochidae) From Turkey

In this study, Bomolochus unicirrus Brian, 1902, a species of parasitic copepod belonging to the family Bomolochidae (Claus, 1875), was reported for the first time from the north-eastern Mediterranean waters off the Turkish coast. Parasites were collected from the gill filaments of the European barracuda, Sphyraena sphyraena(L.)captured by trawling in Iskenderun Bay, Turkey. The morphological features of B. unicirrus were Redescribed and illustrated based on the newly collected material. Key diagnostic characters and newly observed details in some structures are highlighted and supported by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Differences and simply overlooked details in previous descriptions of B. unicirrus, are discussed in detail. In addition, morphological comparisons between presently reported species and the other species of the genus Bomolochus Nordmann, 1832 were also presented.

Lernanthropid copepods parasitic on marine fishes in Turkish waters, including two new records

A review of Lernanthropidae (Copepoda: Siphonostomatoida) recorded on marine fish species in the Mediterranean and Turkish seas is presented together with the first records of two species of the genus Lernanthropus de Blainville, 1822 that are new to the Turkish coasts. The newly recorded parasites are: Lernanthropus gisleri van Beneden, 1852 from the gill filaments of Umbrina cirrosa (Linnaeus, 1758) and Lernanthropus callionymicola El-Rashidy & Boxshall, 2012 from the gill filaments of the Red Sea immigrant dragonet Callionymus filamentosus Valenciennes, 1837. General morphology, measurements and key diagnostic characters of both species are presented, based on light and scanning electron microscopy. In addition, some contradictions are noted in previous descriptions of L. gisleri and some newly observed structural details of L. callionymicola are also presented.