Internal parasites of saposhnikovi shad, Alosa saposchnikowii (Grimm, 1887), from the southeastern part of the Caspian Sea, Iran

This paper presents the results of a parasitological study on internal parasitic infections in saposhnikovi shad, Alosa saposchnikowii, from the southern part of the Caspian Sea. In this regard 30 fish were studied for abdominal cavity parasites in February 2014. Results showed all of the specimens were infected at least with one kind of parasite and there was no significant difference in parasitic infections between males and females. According to the results three kinds of parasites including one trematode (Pronoprymna ventricosa) and two kinds of nematodes (Anisakis simplex and Eustrongylides sp) were isolated from the abdominal cavity of the studied fish. 43.33 % of the specimens were infected with A. simplex, 96.66 % were infected with P. ventricosa and 16.66 % of the specimens were infected with Eustrongylides sp. Intensity of infection to A. simplex, P. ventricosa and Eustrongylides sp in saposhnikovi shad was calculated as, 3.46 ± 1.76, 131 ±16.78 and 2 ± 0.71, respectively.  According to the results 33.33%  intestine, 10% liver and 6.66% mesentery of specimens were infected with  A. simplex, 26.66% stomach, 86.66% pyloric caeca and 66.66% intestine of studied fish were infected with P. ventricosa and  Eustrongylides sp was isolated in 13.33% mesentery and 3.33% liver of the specimens.  It seems this is the first record of A. simplex and Eustrongylides sp infection from saposhnikovi shad in Iran. These parasites are important because of their pathogenicity in fish and zoonotic risk in human health care.