Infection of the swim bladder parasite Anguillicoloides crassus in the European eel (Anguilla anguilla) caught from the Gediz Delta (Aegean Sea)

Abstract

The wild European eels (776 fish, mean total length of 547±91 mm, mean weight 340±198 g) were obtained monthly between October 2015-September 2016 in Gediz Delta (Izmir Bay, Aegean Sea). A total of 263 nematode parasites (Anguillicoloides crassus) were isolated from the swim bladders of 52 parasitized fish. Parasitological indices were found relatively low. The prevalence was 6.7% and the mean intensity was 5.05. The abundance of A. crassus was also calculated as 0.33 in all sampled eels.