Acanthocephala (Acanthocephalus lucii) infection on Caranx ignobilis from Nagapattinam, south east coast of India

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1 Indian Journal of Geo-Marine Sciences Vol. 45(3), March 2016, pp Acanthocephala (Acanthocephalus lucii) infection on Caranx ignobilis from Nagapattinam, south east coast of India Alagarsamy Sakthivel, Periyasamy Selvakumar & Ayyaru Gopalakrishnan* Centre of Advanced Study in Marine Biology, Faculty of Marine Sciences, Annamalai University, Parangipettai , India *[ Received 16 February 2015; revised 16 April 2015 Acanthocephalus lucii is one of the most widely distributed species of acanthocephalans infecting marine fishes throughout India. Adult worm of Acanthocephalus lucii were collected from small intestine of Caranx ignobilis from Nagapattinam. They have group of acanthocephalan adhering in the host gut. Acanthocephalus lucii proboscis through the infected fish intestine about mm deep. Maximum 12 Acanthocephalus lucii were collected from the single infected host. Totally 4476 fishes were examined which is out of 2648 host were infected with acanthocephala parasite. Morphology of the worms was cylindrical structure, proboscis hooks were uniformly arranged and smallest posterior end. Length of the Acanthocephalus lucii was up to cm and weight was up to g. Higher prevalence (63.84 %), intensity (10.01 %) and abundance (6.39) were observed at post monsoon season. The current study was carried out an occurrence, description of the parasite, prevalence, mean intensity and mean abundance was observed. [Keyword: Caranx ignobilis, Intestine infection, Acanthocephalus lucii, Prevalence, Intensity, Abundance.] Introduction Parasitic disease poses great threat in the culture and captive maintenance of marine fishes 1. The Caranx ignobilis infected by many parasites, such as isopod, copepod, nematode, trematode and acanthocephala. But, no more information is available due to Acanthocephalus lucii infections with Caranx ignobilis. Therefore the present study was undertaken Caranx ignobilis infected by Acanthocephalus lucii as well as prevalence, men intensity and abundance were recorded. Acanthocephala is frequently seen in the intestines of wild fresh water and marine fishes. Previously Zdzislaw Laskowski has been recorded the occurrence of acanthocephalans in notothenioid fishes in the Beagle Channel 2. Recently, Sakthivel et al. has been reported acanthocephala (Echinorhynchus sp.) infection in yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) from Nagapattinam, south east coast of India 3. Acanthocephalans attach to the host intestinal wall using its hooked proboscis, causing extensive tissue damage and potential fatality in various vertebrates. The acanthocephalans are intestinal parasites of vertebrate final hosts and are characterized by an eversible proboscis with hooks that serve as a hold fast. They have a complex life cycle involving arthropods as intermediate hosts and vertebrates as definitive or paratenic hosts and are known to cause pathological conditions in many fin fishes 4. Infected intestine, irreversible mechanical damage caused by the attachment of the armed proboscis affect with the architecture of the intestinal tissues leading to pathological changes. It is now generally accepted that gut inhabiting acanthocephalan actively select that part of the gut which is most suitable for survival and reproduction, resulting in an ordered distribution within the tract that is consistent between individuals of a host species. These adaptations include reduction of the muscular, nervous, circulatory, and the excretory system and even complete loss of the digestive system 5. Moreover, Dunagan and Miller, has been reported parasites affected fish health, growth, behavior, fecundity and mortality and also regulate host population dynamics and their community structure 6. Parasites are small players with crucial roles in ecological theatres is well said by Marcogliese as they serve as imperative tools in providing

2 SAKTHIVEL et al.: ACANTHOCEPHALUS LUCII INFECTION ON CARANX IGNOBILIS 449 information on population structure, evolutionary hypotheses, environmental stressors, trophic interactions, biodiversity and climatic conditions 7. But unfortunately, relentless fishing and environmental disturbances lead to reduced fish populations, which in turn may reduce parasite populations. Indirect evidence also suggests a decrease in parasites in commercially fishing species over the past three decades 8. In addition, environmental degradation can affect fish parasites. For these reasons, parasites on fishes may serve as sensitive probes to monitor environmental factors 9. The current investigation is carried out the occurrence of intestinal Acanthocephalus lucii parasite reported on the new host of Caranx ignobilis. Prevalence, mean intensity and mean abundance also recorded from Nagapattinam south east coast of India. Materials and Methods The present study, 4476 giant trevally fishes were collected throughout the year (2013) from the Nagapattinam coast (10º 45' 36.25" N and 79º 50' 59.54" E) Tamil Nadu. The total length and weight of the fishes were measured and examined for the acanthocephala infection, site attachment, orientation of parasites on the host and the numbers of parasites in each fish were recorded. Immediately stored in ice box and were brought to the laboratory and were necropsied followed by removal of acanthocephalans from the gut. Intestine is frequently found parasitized by the acanthocephalans that are visible to the naked eye. The representative amount of acanthocephala recovered was first washed with saline solution, acanthocephala were collected and treated with warm distilled water to allow the proboscis to be projected out properly. The parasite was examined live and morphological details were recorded for taxonomic identification. Intestine is carefully scraped and washed gently remove parasite adhering to the intestinal mucosa, and the content was observed under a stereo microscope. Intestines were placed in normal saline (0.85% NaCl). The worms were fixed in alcohol/formalin/acetic acid (AFA) fixative and preserved in 70% ethanol until processed for identification. Infected fish intestine photographs were taken using Nikon D 40 camera. Different biostatical parameters were applied for quantitative and qualitative analysis of the data. The formulae from were followed for statistical analysis book 10. Result Total 4476 Caranx ignobilis species were examined, which is out of 2648 host were infected by Acanthocephalus lucii. The infection with the parasites was observed in the posterior region of the small intestine, almost blocking the lumen. Moderate values of prevalence, mean intensity, and mean abundance was recorded throughout the year of 2013 (Fig. 1). There was a small fluctuation occur from the year of January to December. Acanthocephalus lucii, higher prevalence of % was observed during post monsoon 2013 fallowed by lower infection of % during summer (Fig. 2).The highest mean intensity was % recorded during post monsoon and lower mean intensity 8.01 % was observed in summer (Fig. 3). Higher mean abundance 6.39 was observed during post monsoon and lower mean abundance 4.71 was observed for summer period (Fig. 4). Fig. 1-Comparison of prevalence, intensity, abundance through the year of Fig. 2-Prevalence of the Acanthocephalus lucii infection in Caranx ignobilis.

3 450 INDIAN J. MAR. SCI., VOL. 45, NO. 3 MARCH 2016 Length and weight of the fishes varied from 45 cm to 65 cm and 3.5 kg to 4 kg respectively (Fig. 5). They have group of acanthocephala adhering in the host gut. The highest infections of 12 acanthocephalans were collected from a single infected Caranx ignobilis intestine (Fig. 6). Infected fish intestine having Acanthocephalus lucii appeared like a nodule structure. The worms are cylindrical; the length was up to cm and weight up to g. These parasites were seen to have penetrated through the intestinal wall with their enchanted ends floating freely in the colon and the part of the trunk in the lumen of the intestine. In some cases only few acanthocephalans were found adherence in the lumen but the outer side of the intestine contained several Acanthocephalus lucii parasites entangled in the yellow and pink coloured cysts (Fig. 7). Acanthocephalus lucii was deeply embedded with their proboscis has arrangement and uniform size hooks rows of 14 hooks each row of longer hooks at the base (Fig. 8a & b). Fig. 6. Intestinal tract of the Caranx ignobilis showing heavy infection of Acanthocephalus lucii parasite. Fig. 3. Intensity of the Acanthocephalus lucii in Caranx ignobilis Fig. 4 Abundance of the Acanthocephalus lucii in Caranx ignobilis. Fig. 5 Caranx ignobili Fig. 7. Stereo microscopic view of the Acanthocephalus lucii Discussion The goal of the current investigation was carried out, the new host Caranx ignobilis infected by Acanthocephalus lucii. Infected fish weight was gradually decreased, because the Acanthocephalus lucii sucking in host blood. Generally, co-infection with nematode and acanthocephala has been observed, but the present case showed mono - infection with Acanthocephalus lucii alone, in the Caranx ignobilis intestinal tract has heavily infected by

4 SAKTHIVEL et al.: ACANTHOCEPHALUS LUCII INFECTION ON CARANX IGNOBILIS 451 acanthocephala may perforate the gut wall with their proboscis and cause considerable damage with severe local inflammation. Fig. 8a. Stereo microscopic view Proboscis and anterior portion of Acanthocephalus lucii Fig. 8b. Light microscopic view of proboscis of Acanthocephalus lucii arrow showing proboscis having clear hooks This apparent retraction of the proboscis from the host tissue has been observed. Acanthocephalans attached to the host intestinal wall using its hooked proboscis, its causing extensive tissue damage and potential fatality in various vertebrates 11. Moreover the fish intestines due to acanthocephala infections depend on various factors such as parasitic species of host, nature of the infected tissues and host-parasite interactions. The nature and thickness of the various tissue layers, length of the neck and proboscis, the presence or absence of a proboscis bulb and the nature of supination also affect the pathological ending 12. Porviously Previously Zdzislaw Laskowski et al., was recorded only one Echinorhynchid species, Heterosentis heteracanthus, was found in Platycleis tessellata (prevalence 15 %) 2. However, the maximum intensity (18) was only a little lower than in the case of Panulirus longipes 13. Similarly, in this present study recorded the higher prevalence of 64 % was observed from the Caranx ignobilis fish at Nagappatinam coast. The prevalence of copepods on gills and in buccal cavity, digenetic trematodes and acanthocephala were 42, 29, 26 and 7 % respectively. The high infection rate was recorded in summer (80 %) followed by spring (68 %), autumn (64 %) and winter (44 %). The highest prevalence of crustaceans on gills was 52%, in buccal cavity 36 %, digenetic trematodes 48% and acanthocephala 12 % in spring, summer, winter and autumn respectively 14. But in the case of my the present study was observed in highest prevalence of % Acanthocephalus lucii infection was reported in post monsoon season and highest intensity was observed in post monsoon from Caranx ignobilis at Nagapattinam coast. Moreover the parasitic infected fishes mainly depends upon host factors such as age, size, sex, maturity, stage, behaviors, feeding and breeding, life cycle, physical-chemical and particularly environment parameters. The role of acanthocephala within the parasitism with its fish host is more complicated than an intestinal parasite. These variations in the rate of parasitism could be attributed to abiotic and biotic conditions of the environments where the studies were carried out. Unfavourable conditions may offset fish physiology favouring parasite infection and invasion 15. Rohlenova et al., has been reported that unfavourable temperature may alter fish physiology including immune function favouring parasite invasion 16. Majidah and Khan described the distribution pattern of the helminth populations in different fish hosts, which exhibited a regular seasonal trend and the infrapopulation concentration was relatively greater during summer 17. This pattern of infection does not conform the study done by various researchers like Chishti and Peerzada who while working on seasonal occurrence of acanthocephala infection in fishes of Wular Lake observed that the infection was higher in spring and low from summer in all fish host 18. Aacanthocephala infection as well as,

5 452 INDIAN J. MAR. SCI., VOL. 45, NO. 3 MARCH 2016 prevalence and mean intensity were calculated to determine the abundance of parasitic species. Seasonal variation on parasitization, the relationship between host size and prevalence of infection were studied. Moreover the parasite prevalence, intensity, and abundance was recorted. Since the infection was based on the host fish food and feeding habites fish papulation and ecological parametters from Nagappatinam, south east coast of India. Conclusion Population of acanthocephalans (Acanthocephalus lucii) was observed from Caranx ignobilis is in consonance with the various findings and can be linked with many ecological factors. Parasites are normally in a complex dynamic equilibrium with their hosts. This current study was report on Acanthocephalus lucii attached the new host of giant trevally from Nagapattinam coast. This infection was mainly affected the host mortality, growth performance and intestine absorption capacity of the infected fishes. Acknowledgement Authors would like to thank Department of Biotechnology, (BT/ PR14992/SPD/ 11/ 1332/2010). Government of India, New Delhi for the financial support and the fisher woman and man on the Nagapattinam coast for the supply of host fishes both on landing and also in the market. Reference 1. Abdussamad E M, Mohamad Kasim H, Balasubramanian T S, Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute. P. B. No. (2008) l603. Cochin, India. 2. Zdzislaw Laskowski and Krzysztof Zdzitowieck Occurrence of acanthocephalans in notothenioid fishes inthe Beagle Channel (Magellanic subregion, sub Antarctic). polish polar research, 30 (2009) Alagarsamy Sakthivel, Periyasamy Selvakumar, Ayyaru Gopalakrishnan Acanthocephalan (Echinorhynchus sp.) infection of yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) from Nagapattinam, south east coast of India. Journal of Coastal Life Medicine, 2 (2014) Nickol B B, Phylum Acanthocephala, In: Woo, P.T.K. (Ed.), Fish Diseases and Disorders, Second Edition.: Protozoan and Metazoan Infections, Vol. I. CAB International, Wallingford, UK, (2006) Janovy J, Concurrent infections and the community ecology of helminthes parasites. Journal of Parasitology, 4 (2002): Marcogliese D J, Parasites: Small Players with Crucial Roles in the Ecological Theatre. Ecohealth, 1 (2004) Williams H H, MacKenzie K, McCarthy A M, Parasites as biological indicators of the population biology, migrations, diet and phylogenetics of fish. Fish Biology and Fisheries, 2 (1992) Lafferty K D, Ecosystem consequences of fish parasites. J. Fish Biology, 73 (1997) Lafferty K D, Environmental parasitology: What can parasites tell us about human impacts on the environment. Parasitology Today, 13 (1998) Daniel W W, Biostatics: A foundation for analysis in the health science (VIII Ed.), johan Wiley and Sons Int. New York. 8 (198). 11. Sokal R R, Rohlf F J, Biometry (3 rd Ed) the principals and practice of statistic in Biological Research (2000). 12. Jithendra K P, Kannappan S, A short note on heavy infection of acanthocephalan worm (Neoechinorhynchus agilis) in grey mullet, Mugil cephalus. J Parasit Dis, 34 (2011) Brattey J, Life history and population biology of Acanthocephalus lucii (Acanthocephala: Cribb) (1988). 14. Heba I, Abdel-Mawla,Walaa T, El-Ekiaby, Some studies on parasitic infection among Morone labrax (Seabass fish) as bio-indicator of environmental conditions. Egyptian Journal for Aquaculture, 3 (2012) Thompson L C, Larsen R, Fish habitat in freshwater stream. Farm Water Quality Planning FWQP 2004; 10: Rohlenova K, Morand S, Hyrsl P, Tolarova S, Flajshans M, Sinkova A, Are fish immune systems really affected by parasites? An immunological study of common carp (Cyrinus carpio). Parasites and Vectors,40 (2011) Amin O M, Seasonal population dynamics of some helminthes parasites of fish. Syst Parasit, 53 (2002) Klaus Rohd, Craig Hayward and Maureen heap, Aspects of the Ecology of metazoan ectoparasites Department of Zoology, The University of New England, Armidale, NSW , Australia (1995).