Infestation of parasitic copepod, Lernanthropus latis (Siphonostomatoida; Lernanthropidae) Yamaguti, 1954 on wild Asian sea bass, Lates calcarifer along Bay of Bengal off Chennai coast, India

Abstract

An attempt was made to investigate the parasitic infection in wild Asian sea bass, Lates calcarifer along Bay of Bengal coast, India. Several numbers of fish caught from Kasimedu fishing harbour were examined for the presence of parasites. In all the fish examined, gills were infected with a single species of copepod, Lernanthropus latis Yamaguti (1954). The prevalence of this parasite in different fish ranged from 2 to 24 parasites per host with a mean intensity of 9.7. The adult female parasites were found to have oblong cephalothorax with egg-strings spreading throughout the gills. Parasitic infected gills had pale discolouration and abnormal mucus secretion.