The taxonomy and site specificity of the metazoan ectoparasites of the black bream, Acanthopagrus australias (Günther), in northern New South Wales

Abstract

The complete metazoan ectoparasite community of an Australian fish is determined for the first time. Eight species of Monogenea (four new and four previously described) and 12 species of Copepoda (six new and six previously described) are recorded from the black sea bream, Acanthopagrus australis, in northern New South Wales. New species of Monogenea include the diplectanids Lamellodiscus acahthopagri and L. squamosus, the dactylogyrid Haliotrema spariensis and the microcotylid Polyabroides multispinosus. Anoplodiscus australis Johnston, 1930, Lamellodiscus major Murray, 1931, and Polyabroides australis (Murray, 1931) are redescribed. Allomurraytrema spari (Yamaguti, 1958) represents a new host and geographical record. New species of Copepoda include the bomolochid Bomolochus stocki, the ergasilids Ergasilus australiensis and Paraergasilus acanthopagri, the caligids Caligus truncatogenitalis and Caligus, sp. nov., and the lernaeopodid Clavellopsis parasargi. Caligus pagrosomi Yamaguti, 1939, and Neobrachiella lata (Song & Chen, 1976) are redescribed. B. stocki and E. australiensis represent the first records of these genera from sparid hosts. Caligus epidemicus Hewitt, 1971, is a new geographical record. Caligus willungae Kabata, 1965, C. pagrosomi Yamaguti, 1939, Lernanthropus atrox Heller, 1968, Alella pagelli (Kroyer, 1963) and Neobrachiella lata (Song & Chen, 1976) are new host and geographical records. The microhabitats of the ectoparasites are described.