The Taxonomic Status of Sarcotaces komaii and Sarcotaces verrucosus (Copepoda: Phylichthyidae) and Host-Parasite Relationships between Sarcotaces arcticus and Sebastes spp. (Pisces)

• Published in: The Journal of parasitology 1985-08, Vol.71 (4), p.472-480
• Main Authors: Moser, Mike, Haldorson, Lewis, Field, L. Jay
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Crustacea; Cysts; Female animals; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Infections; Invertebrates; Male animals; Marine fishes; Parasite hosts; Parasites; Parasitism; Parasitology; Systematics. Geographical distribution; Taxonomy; Viruses
• ISSN: 0022-3395; 1937-2345
• DOI: 10.2307/3281540

Five species of rockfish (Sebastes spp.) were examined off southeast Alaska for Sarcotaces arcticus (Copepoda). Only Sebastes ciliatus was infected. Sarcotaces were compared to those found in 7 species of Sebastes collected off California and those from Molva dypterygia collected off Norway. As a result of these comparisons it is suggested that Sarcotaces komaii be synonymized with S. arcticus. It is possible that S. arcticus is synonymous with Sarcotaces verrucosus. Studies on aspects of the host-parasite relationship indicated that younger fish have a higher prevalence of infection and more multiple infections. There is no host-parasite size relationship. Seventy-five percent of the female parasites were associated with males, 85% had eggs and 10% nauplius larvae. Females ranged in size from 20 to 50 mm. Smaller specimens were represented by degenerated cysts. There was no indication of parasite-induced host mortality. The absence of infection in some species may be more a result of the hosts' natural history and geographic distribution than parasite specificity.