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Alien parasites on an alien fish species: monogeneans from the black bullhead Ameiurus melas (Siluriformes) in the Lake Srebarna Biosphere Reserve, Bulgaria, with the first record of Gyrodactylus nebulosus in the Palaearctic

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Abstract

Black bullhead Ameiurus melas (Actinopterygii: Siluriformes) is an alien fish species of North American origin, which has expanded its invasive geographical range in Europe. In 2017–2019, 32 black bullhead specimens from the Lake Srebarna Biosphere Reserve, Bulgaria, were examined for monogenean parasites. Two species of monogeneans were recorded and identified on the basis of morphological and molecular data: Ligictaluridus pricei (Ancyrocephalidae), with prevalence 100% and intensity 2–32 (mean 13.3 ± 6.8), and Gyrodactylus nebulosus (Gyrodactylidae), with prevalence 72.0% and intensity 1–15 (mean 7.4 ± 4.3). Partial 18S rDNA and the ITS1 region of L. pricei were sequenced. For G. nebulosus, sequenced genes included the partial 18S rDNA and the entire ITS1–5.8S rDNA–ITS2 region as well as the mitochondrial COI gene. Both recorded monogenean species are specific parasites of North American ictalurid fishes and alien to Europe. The present study is the first record of L. pricei from Bulgaria and the first record of G. nebulosus from Europe and the Palaearctic Region.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to our colleagues Dr. Stefan Kazakov and Prof. Valko Biserkov for their assistance in providing some fish individuals for examination, and to Dr. Borislav Stoyanov for useful suggestions in the course of the present study. This study in the Srebarna Lake Biosphere Reserve was carried out with permission of the Ministry of Environment and Waters of the Republic of Bulgaria, nos. NSZP–442/16.08.2018 NSZP–54/14.02.2019 and NSZP–253/17.05.2019.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 2 Gagarin Street, 1113, Sofia, Bulgaria

    Nina Vancheva, Aneliya Bobeva, Luchezar Pehlivanov & Boyko B. Georgiev

  2. National Museum of Natural History, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1 Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd, 1000, Sofia, Bulgaria

    Tihomir Stefanov

Authors
  1. Nina Vancheva
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  2. Aneliya Bobeva
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  3. Luchezar Pehlivanov
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  4. Tihomir Stefanov
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  5. Boyko B. Georgiev
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Correspondence to Boyko B. Georgiev.

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The authors carefully reviewed the ethical standards of the journal and hereby certify that the procedures used with the investigated species comply fully with those standards. The methods used in the current study were approved by the Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.

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Vancheva, N., Bobeva, A., Pehlivanov, L. et al. Alien parasites on an alien fish species: monogeneans from the black bullhead Ameiurus melas (Siluriformes) in the Lake Srebarna Biosphere Reserve, Bulgaria, with the first record of Gyrodactylus nebulosus in the Palaearctic. Parasitol Res 119, 2105–2112 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-020-06699-z

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