PARASITES OF WHITENOSE WHIPRAY (Pateobatis uarnacoides) IN TERENGGANU WATERS

Abstract

This study focuses on the parasites of Pateobatis uarnacoides. The commercial value of P.uarnacoides creates a need for a comprehensive checklist of its parasites to ensure its safety and quality. This study aims to identify parasites of P.uarnacoides and analyse their prevalence and mean intensity in Terengganu waters. In October 2018, 30 P. uarnacoides samples were collected from Pulau Kambing Fisheries Complex. A total of 346 individual parasites were retrieved, representing three phyla, three classes, three orders, three families, and one genus. Class Hexanauplia, class Palaeacanthocepha and phylum Nematoda are represented by only a single individual. Ninty-nine percent (343 individuals) of all parasites collected were from the family Gnathiidae. Gnathiids have the most intense infection rate at 19 compared to all other parasites having the least intensity of one each. The mean intensity of parasites infecting P.uarnacoides is 5.5. The prevalence of infection of gnathiids is 60%, exceeding the prevalence of other parasites at 3.30% each. The site of attachment of gnathiids is limited to the gills. It was observed that the parasites found did not cause significant physical damage to the host or risk of mortality. However, a heavy infestation of gnathiids may cause difficulty breathing as it congests the gills, thus reducing the general fitness of the host. Overall, the results of this study show that the parasitic fauna of P.uarnacoides does not concern with public health and the economy. It also finds that this species is highly susceptible to infection by gnathiids, which was unrecorded in previous studies.