Anisakid infection in scabbardfishes, Aphanopus carbo and A. intermedius (Perciformes: Trichiuridae), from the Eastern Atlantic

Abstract Scabbardfishes are a group of deep-water fishes from the family Trichiuridae that form the basis of an important longline fishery in the Madeira archipelago, in the southern part of the Northeast Atlantic. Two closely related and morphologically similar species occur in this area: the black scabbardfish, Aphanopus carbo, and the intermediate scabbardfish, A. intermedius. In this study, 112 scabbardfish specimens captured in Madeira, Canary Islands, and nearby seamounts were examined for the presence of anisakid nematodes. Infection levels were extremely high in both species. A generalised linear model was applied to anisakid abundance, using fishing location and several host parameters as predictors. Fish length had a strong positive effect, and A. carbo was more heavily infected than A. intermedius, whereas fishing location had no effect. The microhabitat distribution of anisakid larvae within the fish followed a gradient from the stomach to other visceral organs; however, infection levels in the muscle were not negligible, which raises safety issues for consumers. It is strongly recommended that scabbardfish should never be eaten raw or undercooked, unless frozen prior to consumption.