The intestinal parasites of an assemblage of stream fishes in central Utah

Authors

Matthew Rambo, Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UTFollow
Ashlee N. Smith, Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UTFollow
Mehmet Cemal Oguz, Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UTFollow
Mark C. Belk, Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UTFollow

Abstract

Parasite communities of stream fish assemblages in the western United States are poorly known. We investigated the intestinal parasites of an assemblage of stream fishes in Spanish Fork River in central Utah, USA. Two species, mottled sculpin (Cottus bairdii) and redside shiner (Richardsonius balteatus), had no observable parasites. In the other 3 species, southern leatherside chub (Lepidomeda aliciae), mountain sucker (Catostomus platyrhynchus), and longnose dace (Rhinichthys cataractae), we identified metacercia of an unidentified trematode. We found adult cestodes in southern leatherside chub only. Prevalence and intensity of parasites was highest in southern leatherside chub. Reasons for differential prevalence and intensity of parasites among host fish species are unknown, but there seems to be no relationship to trophic position or habitat use in this fish community.


Conocemos poco sobre las comunidades de parásitos en los ensambles de peces de río del oeste de Estados Unidos. Estudiamos los parásitos intestinales de un ensamble de peces de río en Spanish Fork River, en el centro de Utah, Estados Unidos. Cottus bairdii y Richardsonius balteatus, no tenían parásitos observables. En las otras tres especies, Lepidomeda aliciae, Catostomus platyrhynchus y Rhinichthys cataractae, identificamos metacercarias relacionadas con un trematodo no identificado. Sólo encontramos céstodos adultos en L. aliciae. La prevalencia y la intensidad de parásitos en L. aliciae fueron mayores en el sur. Desconocemos los motivos de las diferencias en la prevalencia e intensidad de parásitos entre especies de peces portadoras, pero no parece haber ninguna relación con la posición trófica o el uso del hábitat de esta comunidad de peces.

Recommended Citation

Rambo, Matthew; Smith, Ashlee N.; Cemal Oguz, Mehmet; and Belk, Mark C. (2016) "The intestinal parasites of an assemblage of stream fishes in central Utah," Western North American Naturalist: Vol. 76: No. 3, Article 13.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/wnan/vol76/iss3/13