Abstract

This study was the first extensive survey of the parasites fauna of fishes from Murat River. During the two year period (2010-2011), 4 fish species were examined and 5 monogenean parasite species were recorded as follows: Dactylogyrus elegantis andDactylogyrus vistulae in Chondrostoma regium; Dactylogyrus elegantis,Dactylogyrus vistulae and Dactylogyrus prostae in Squalius cephalus; Dactylogyrus alatus in Alburnus heckeli; Dactylogyrus rectotrabus in Garra rufa. The prevalence inC. regium was 77.78%, in S. cephalus 85.0%, in A. heckeli 41.86%, while in G. rufa it was the lowest and amounted to 5.56%. The overall prevalence of monogeneans in the investigated cyprinid fishes from Murat River was 48.50%, and the mean intensity of infestation was 3.01. Among the monogenean species the highest prevalence occurred with D. vistulae (44.44%), and the greatest intensity of infestation was evident in the cases of infestation with D. elegantis (3.58). The greatest pathological effect was associated with the monogeneans D. vistulae and D. elegantis.  To our knowledge, this is the first time D.  elegantis, D. vistulae, D. rectotrabus, D. prostaeand D. alatus have been reported from Murat River fish. From this monogenean species, D. rectotrabus, D. prostae represented the first record for parasite fauna of fishes in Turkey.

Key words: Dactylogyrus elegantis, Dactylogyrus vistulae, Dactylogyrus alatus,Dactylogyrus prostae, Dactylogyrus rectotrabus, cyprinid fish, Murat River.