Monogenean parasites of endemic cyprinid species from the selected areas of Mediterranean

The Mediterranean area is distinguished from most of the other parts of Europe in occurrence of many unique endemic fish species (especially cyprinids). Studies focussing on the investigation of parasitofauna of endemic freshwater fishes are rather exceptional. In the present study, we analysed the parasite communities in endemic cyprinid species of a large part of the Balkan Peninsula. A total of 577 specimens belonging to 57 cyprinid species were sampled during 2014 – 2015 in selected localities in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Greece and examined for the presence of metazoan parasites. We analysed the infection level of parasites and the diversity of parasite communities. In addition, we focussed on host specificity and endemism of parasites. The highest species diversity was reported within Monogenea – a total of 103 species was recorded. We reported 38 species of Dactylogyrus (from which 11 were identified as likely new for science), 54 species of Gyrodactylus (from which 25 are likely new for science), and Paradiplozoon homoion and Paradiplozoon megan. Number of monogenean parasite species per endemic cyprinid species ranged from 1 to 16. Diversity of parasite communities was analysed at the levels of metacommunity and infracommunity using indices of diversity. Metacommunities of parasites on Luciobarbus graecus and Luciobarbus albanicus reached the highest dominance. The parasite metacommunity with the highest species diversity was found for Telestes montenigrinus, and the metacommunities with the highest species evenness were found for Rutilus panosi and Tropidophoxinellus spartiaticus. The highest mean infracommunity parasite diversity was found for Alburnus neretvae, Barbus rebeli and Barbus prespensis. Using multidimensional scaling on the similarity of parasite communities expressed by the indices of similarity, the parasite communities of cyprinids from Greece and Albania were similar, whilst parasite communities from Bosnia and Herzegovina were different from both of them. The similarity of parasite metacommunities of congeneric hosts belonging to genera Squalius and Barbus and the high dissimilarity of parasite metacommunities belonging to genera Alburnus, Rutilus and Telestes were found. Some monogeneans reported in endemic cyprinid species are commonly distributed in Europe, however, the majority of Dactylogyrus and Gyrodactylus species found in endemic cyprinid species are characterised by a high degree of host specificity and include taxa endemic to the Mediterranean area. Of all collected parasite species 66 were classified as genus specific, 40 as species specific and 63 as endemic. The majority of genus specific parasites occurred mostly on Barbus, the species specific parasites mostly on Alburnus neretvae, Pachychilon pictum and Aulopyge huegelii. The most generalist parasite species and nonendemic species were found on Telestes montenigrinus, Rutilus ohridanus and Squalius vardarensis.