Survey on fungal, parasites and epibionts infestation on the Astacus leptodactylus (Eschscholtz, 1823), in Aras Reservoir West Azarbaijan, Iran

A total of 394 (255 males,139 females) live freshwater crayfish Astacus leptodactylus from four stations of Aras reservoir in West Azarbaijan Province (North-Western Iran) were studied during the winter until early autumn of 2009 for the presence of parasites, Epibionts and Fungal agents. Parasitological surveys were carried out on gills exoskeleton and internal organs, mycological examinations on the exoskeleton (the legs, abdominal cuticle and the eggs). 9 epibionts and parasites peritrich protozoans including :Cothurnia sieboldii (68.5%), Zoothamnium spp. (56.6%), Vorticella similis (45.6%), Chilodonella spp. (0.5%), Podophrya fixa (7.8%), Epistylis chrysemidis (53.2%), Pyxicola annulata (66%), Opercularia articulata (19.8%), Tetrahymena pyriformis (0.5%) were recorded. From Metazoan parasites group, Branchiobdella kozarovi (71%) as the first observation was the only parasite recorded from exoskeleton with prevalence (100%) during spring and summer of the study year. Infected gills were heavily damaged with Aeolosoma hemprichi (Annelid) in winter with 90% prevalence. Other Epibiont fouling organisms such as Rotatoria free living Nematods were observed in this survey. Furthermore, on the mycotic agents identified Penicillium expansum Aspergillus flavus Alternaria sp. Fusarium sp. and  Saprolegnia sp. were isolated in IM media and identified with slides cultured from cuticular melanized lesions and eggs of infected specimens. This is the first investigation on epibionts, parasites and fungal organisms of the endemic crayfish in Aras reservoir, Iran.