Document Type

Article

Department/Program

Virginia Institute of Marine Science

Publication Date

1966

Journal

Virginia Journal of Science

Volume

17

First Page

21

Last Page

31

Abstract

In recent years interest in the utilization of fishes, particularly marine species, as experimental animals has increased. In the search for species amenable to this use, many investigators have chosen the hardy euryhaline species belonging to the genus Fundulus.

In the course of holding these animals under restricted laboratory conditions, problems involving parasitization have developed. In the summer of 1964, workers at our Institute experienced great difficulty in maintaining Fundulus in captivity, and large numbers of experimental animals died. Examination of these fish revealed them to be heavily infested with monogenetic trematodes (mostly gyrodactylids, a few dactylogyrids).

Inasmuch as severe cases of parasitism could well effect experimental results and render interpretation difficult, it is important that rnlationships between experimental animals and their parasites be recognized and dealt with. It is hoped that this provisional list of symbionts of the fundulid cyprinidonts will be of help in this regard.

The following lists of parasites and bibliographic data have been compiled from monographic works, check-lists and various papers in the pertinent fields. Additional records from the researches of workers at this Institute are reported.

Publication Statement

Contribution (Virginia Institute of Marine Science) no. 204.

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