Infection variability of the parasitic copepod Eubrachiella antarctica (Quidor, 1906) on fishes in the Atlantic sector of the Antarctic

Abstract

Eubrachiella antarctica (Quidor, 1906) is the most commonly occurring ectoparasite in different fish species in the Atlantic sector of the Antarctic. The present work summarises re- sults of studies carried out by various authors from 1975 to 1988 and is devoted to the prevalence, intensity and distribution of parasites on 12 species of fishes. The results of the authors? own studies carried out during the cruise of R/V PROFESOR SIEDLECKI in the 1978/79 season were used to statistically evaluate the significance of differences of infection parameters of the studied fish species sampled at five locations. It was demonstrated that the parasite invasion level on some fish species varied significantly depending on the areas where the fishes were caught, which suggests the possible existence of distinct stocks of some fish species