Survey of Protozoan Parasites in the Mediterranean Horse Macherel (Trachurus mediterraneus) from Zliten Coast Libya

Abstract

This study was conducted to estimate the prevalence, mean abundance, and mean intensity of common protozoa infection on Mediterranean horse macherel (Trachurus mediterraneus) from Zliten coast, Libya. A total of 32 specimens of Mediterranean horse macherel species were collected randomly. The fish were transported immediately alive to the laboratory in the Department of Fish Biology and Fish Culture, College of Marine Resources, Asmarya University, where they were maintained alive in well aerated glass aquaria. The gills, fins, and skin were examined for ectoparasitic protozoa using a light microscope. Among the examined fish, the high desnsity of parasitic infectious in internal organ was observed in kideny (0.375), liver (0.5), blood and spleen (0.25), respectively. Seven species of parasitic protozoan namely Haemogregarina spp., Trypanosoma spp., Cryptopia spp., Microsporidia spp., Henneguya spp., Thelohania spp. and Ichthyophthirius multifiliis were identified in Mediterranean horse macherel (Trachurus mediterraneus) from Zliten coast.