ECTOPARASITES OF THE WESTERN ROACH FROM TWO FOOTHILL STREAMS

¹ Department of Biology, California State University, Fresno, California 93710, U.S.A.

Sixty-eight western roach, Hesperoleucus symmetricus symmetricus, from two foothill streams east of Fresno, California were examined for ectoparasites. Results of the limited survey showed nine new records for ectoparasite species for roach. Four species of protozoa, Trichodina sp., Glossatella sp., Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, Myxobolus sp., one species of monogenetic trematode, Urocleidus sp., three species of copepods, Lernaea bagri, L. piscinae and Lernaea sp. and the Hirudinean, Piscicola punctatus, represent the new records. Morphological characteristics and mensural data for Trichodina sp. and Glossatella sp. indicate these protozoa may be new species. Each roach was host to at least one species of ectoparasite. One fish harbored five species of parasites, while the average number of parasite species per fish was 2.5.