Third-stage larvae of anisakis simplex (rudolphi, 1809)‎ in the Red Sea fishes, Yemen coast

الملخص EN

There is much less information on the occurrence of parasitic nematodes in the Red Sea fish, Yemeni Coast, therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the antiskid nematode distribution pattern in the fish collected from fish market (Al-Mehwat) in the Hodeida City, during the period between January 2006 - March2007.

Out of 471 marine fishes (5 species belonging to 4 families) dissected, 94 (20%) were found infected with one genera of L3 larval nematodes.

The larvae had been studied by using light microscope, and morphologically comparison of all larvae specimens studied revealed no differences.

According to cephalic region structure, presence or absence of an intestinal cecum and a ventricular appendix, cuticle, body size and color, the larvae were identified as stage L3 larvae of Anisakis simplex nematodes belonging to genus Anisakis.

The infection rates among the examined fish species, Lethrinus lentjan, 22.4% (n=98); L.

nebulous, 22.7% (n=66) ; Carangoides bajad, 34.9% (n=109); Rastrelleger kanagurta, 10.6% (n=94) and Variota louti, 18.3% (n=104).

The host C.

bajad was the highest susceptible fish to infection by Anisakis larvae, whereas, the R.

kanagurata was the lowest.

The prevalence of parasite infections in different fish species in relation to length of their hosts was studied.

Considerable differences in parasite intensities between the five host species was examined and the results were analyzed, the differences are probably due to different feeding behaviors of the hosts and the habitat characteristics.

There was no previous report on the Anisakid larvae from any fish host in Yemen.

The present work represents the first record for the presence of this parasite in the Yemen's water at the Red Sea.