Helminth parasites of native Hawaiian freshwater fishes: an example of extreme ecological isolation. 1994

W F Font, and D C Tate
Department of Biological Sciences, Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, Louisiana 70402.

The Hawaiian Islands harbor a depauperate native freshwater fish fauna comprised of 4 endemic gobies (Gobiidae) and 1 endemic sleeper (Eleotridae). We hypothesized that the natural helminth parasite community of these stream fishes would be depauperate because of colonizing constraints. In the absence of exotic fishes, native fishes in streams of Hanakapi'ai and Nu'alolo valleys harbored no adult helminth parasites. In Hakalau Stream on Hawai'i and Wainiha River on Kaua'i, we found introduced swordtails and guppies (Poeciliidae); here, the native gobioid fishes shared species of helminths with poeciliids. They were the nematode Camallanus cotti, the Asian tapeworm Bothriocephalus acheilognathi, and the leech Myzobdella lugubris. Such parasitological data should be incorporated into management plans for the conservation of native Hawaiian stream fishes as these parasites have been previously demonstrated to cause disease.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007865 Leeches Annelids of the class Hirudinea. Some species, the bloodsuckers, may become temporarily parasitic upon animals, including man. Medicinal leeches (HIRUDO MEDICINALIS) have been used therapeutically for drawing blood since ancient times. Hirudinea,Hirudineas,Leeche
D008297 Male Males
D011036 Poecilia A genus of livebearing cyprinodont fish comprising the guppy and molly. Some species are virtually all female and depend on sperm from other species to stimulate egg development. Poecilia is used in carcinogenicity studies as well as neurologic and physiologic research. Guppy,Lebistes,Molly,Guppies,Mollies,Poecilias
D004478 Ectoparasitic Infestations Infestations by PARASITES which live on, or burrow into, the surface of their host's EPIDERMIS. Most ectoparasites are ARTHROPODS. Ectoparasitic Infestation,Infestation, Ectoparasitic,Infestations, Ectoparasitic
D005260 Female Females
D005393 Fish Diseases Diseases of freshwater, marine, hatchery or aquarium fish. This term includes diseases of both teleosts (true fish) and elasmobranchs (sharks, rays and skates). Disease, Fish,Diseases, Fish,Fish Disease
D005399 Fishes A group of cold-blooded, aquatic vertebrates having gills, fins, a cartilaginous or bony endoskeleton, and elongated bodies covered with scales.
D005618 Fresh Water Water containing no significant amounts of salts, such as water from RIVERS and LAKES. Freshwater,Fresh Waters,Freshwaters,Water, Fresh,Waters, Fresh
D006254 Hawaii A group of islands in Polynesia, in the north central Pacific Ocean, comprising eight major and 114 minor islands, largely volcanic and coral. Its capital is Honolulu. It was first reached by Polynesians about 500 A.D. It was discovered and named the Sandwich Islands in 1778 by Captain Cook. The islands were united under the rule of King Kamehameha 1795-1819 and requested annexation to the United States in 1893 when a provisional government was set up. Hawaii was established as a territory in 1900 and admitted as a state in 1959. The name is from the Polynesian Owhyhii, place of the gods, with reference to the two volcanoes Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, regarded as the abode of the gods. (From Webster's New Geographical Dictionary, 1988, p493 & Room, Brewer's Dictionary of Names, 1992, p2330) Midway Island,Midway Islands
D006373 Helminthiasis Infestation with parasitic worms of the helminth class. Nematomorpha Infections,Infections, Nematomorpha,Helminthiases,Infection, Nematomorpha,Nematomorpha Infection

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