The Sea of Marmara: New locality for two caligids and one lernanthropid in Turkey

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the parasitic copepods of marine fish from Turkey. Caligus minimus Otto, 1821, Caligus apodus Brian, 1924 (Copepoda, Siphonostomatoida, Caligidae) and Lernanthropus kroyeri Van Beneden, 1851 (Copepoda, Siphonostomatoida, Lernanthropidae) were reported for the first time in the Sea of Marmara Coasts of Turkey. Also, some morphological characters of these parasitic copepods are described using photographs and drawings. Caligus minimus and Lernanthropus kroyeri were found on the gill filaments of the wild sea bass, Dicentrarchus labrax while Caligus apodus on the flathead grey mullet, Mugil cephalus. The prevaling values of Caligus minimus, Lernanthropus kroyeri and Caligus apodus are 100% for the former two, 6.25%.