Parasites of the Caribbean

Bahamas

Puddle Jumping

Andros

Andros

• Andros is the largest island in the Bahamas, it is sparsely populated

• The island has an extensive cave system that captures rainwater– Three to four million gallons of freshwater are

transported by tanker every day to nearby Nassau, which has a limited supply of freshwater and a few desalinization plants

Economy

• Most of the natives are fairly poor• The primary drivers of the economy are an

American naval base and tourism, much of which is directed towards sportfishing– Anglers are drawn to the large expanse of shallow

flats surrounding the island, as well as the nearby Tongue of the Ocean, an expanse of very deep water that harbors numerous pelagic species

Hibiscus

Forfar Field Station

East

Flats at Low Tide

Flats at High Tide

Bonefish

Marco with Bar Jack

Phylum Platyhelminthes

• Flatworms• Class Trematoda– Endoparasites primarily in the digestive tract of

vertebrates• Subclass Digenea– At least two hosts in life cycle• First is a mollusc

– Usually two suckers serving as holdfast organs• Oral and ventral

Order HemiuriformesFamily Hemiuridae

• Common digenetic trematodes infecting the gut of marine fish

• First intermediate host is a mollusk• Second intermediate host is an arthropod– Copepod, shrimp, crab

• Final host is a fish

Hemiurus

• Telescoping ecsoma

Hemiurus

Hemiurus

Derogenes

• Bulging ventral sucker

Derogenes

Derogenes

Lecithaster

• Vitellaria form rosette of seven tubes

Lecithaster

Lecithaster

Opecoeloides

• Ventral sucker on projection

Opecoeloides

Opecoeloides

Phylum Acanthocephala

• Thorny-headed worms• Parasites of intestines of vertebrates• Retractable proboscis armed with hooks

serving as holdfast organ• Class Palaeacanthocephala• Order Echinorhynchida• Family Rhadinorhynchidae

Rhadinorhynchus

• Very long, slender proboscis• Intermediate host is a crustacean• Final host is a fish

Rhadinorhynchus

Rhadinorhynchus

Rhadinorhynchus

Phylum Arthropoda

• Jointed appendages and a hard exoskeleton• Subphylum Crustacea– Five pair of appendages on the head– 2 pair of antennae, 3 pair of mouthparts

• Class Maxillopoda

Order SiphonostomatoidaFamily Caligidae

• Order Siphonostomatoida– Reduced segmentation and appendages as

adaptations for life as parasites• Family Caligidae– Large, shield-like carapace covers head and thorax

Caligus

Caligus

Caligus