Ectoparasites of the Critically Endangered Giant Shovelnose Ray Glaucostegus typus in the Eastern Indian Ocean, with a Summary of the Known Metazoan Parasites.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

This study examined the metazoan ectoparasites of the Critically Endangered giant shovelnose ray, Glaucostegus typus, in the eastern Indian Ocean.

Methods

We screened 186 G. typus for ectoparasites in four coastal regions of Western Australia between 2020 and 2022: the Pilbara Region, Exmouth Gulf, Ningaloo Coast and Shark Bay.

Results

Five parasite taxa were encountered on 186 G. typus: Caligus furcisetifer (Copepoda: Caligidae), Dermopristis cairae (Monopisthocotyla: Microbothriidae), Branchellion plicobranchus and Stibarobdella macrothela (Hirudinida: Piscicolidae), and praniza larvae of unidentified gnathiid isopod/s (Isopoda: Gnathiidae). Two of these species, B. plicobranchus and S. macrothela, are reported for the first time on G. typus. Only C. furcise

SUBMITTER: Ingelbrecht J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11649752 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature