Parasite fauna of sand and stone sculpins (scorpaeniformes, cottidae) from lake Baikal (review of research results and prospects of investigations)

Abstract

A revision of the composition of parasites of two widely distributed in Baikal species of cottoid fish - the sand ( Leocottus kesslerii Dybowski, 1874) and the stone ( Paracottus knerii Dybowskii, 1874) sculpins was performed. This composition includes 60 species and subspecies of parasites belonging to 10 types, 12 classes, 14 orders, 24 families and 32 genera. It is represented by 21 endemic taxa of species and subspecies rank: these are blood parasites - trypanosomes and cryptobia (2), myxosporidia (5), infusoria (7), monogeneans (1), nematodes (2), acanthocephales (1), leeches (2) and crustaceans (1). Comparison of the parasite fauna of sand and stone sculpins with that of the families Abyssocottidae and Comephoridae showed that most of all this fauna is closely related to the parasite fauna of the family Abyssocottidae. Revision of the parasite composition of two widely distributed fish in Baikal in the light of modern data has identified a number of important problems in the study of fish parasites of this reservoir. Since there has been a transformation of views on the taxonomy of individual groups, new information has been obtained on morphology, molecular biology, biochemistry, life cycles and distribution in the plant and animal world, it is necessary to continue the study of Baikal parasites by modern methods.