Metazoan parasite community as a potential biological indicator in juveniles of the starry smooth-hound<i>Mustelus asterias</i>Cloquet, 1819 (<i>Carcharhiniformes Triakidae</i>)

The starry smooth-hound Mustelus asterias is a near-threatened coastal shark in Europe, whose parasitofauna largely unknown. We studied metazoan parasites of 20 immature sharks (13 males and seven females) from the English Channel we examined their relationships with host condition use as bioindicators. All were parasitized by one to six taxa among twelve recorded whole sampling (one trematode, cestodes two nematodes trophically-transmitted; monogenean, copepod myxosporean on gills), mean abundance 30.5 ± 21.4 per fish (myxosporeans not included). three major decreasing order: nematode Acanthocheilus rotundatus (prevalence: 75%, Confidence Interval 53–89%), cestode Eutetrarhynchus sp. (70%, CI 48–85%), monogenean Erpocotyle laevis (60%, 39–78%). gill Kroyeria lineata gut Proleptus obtusus identified significant pathogens. Parasite community differed between females despite stage, suggesting early spatial sex-segregation, E. , Anthobothrium proposed tags. discuss results terms fitness loss information given diet ecology stock discrimination. recommend incorporating parasitology further research improve conservation management.