biology and histopathology of proteocephalus ambloplitis liedy, 1887, infecting walleye (stizostedion vitreum vitreum) and yellow perch (perea flavescens) in lake of the woods, ontario
abstract
walleye (stizostedion vitreum vitreum ) and yellow
perch (perea flavescens ) from lake of the woods were
examined for parenteral proteocephalus ambloplitis from
may to november, 1982 and 1983. one hundred percent of the
age 1 and older walleye and 74% of the age 1 and older
yellow perch harboured plerocercoids. in corresponding age
classes, walleye were generally 10 times more heavily
infected than yellow perch. mean intensity of live
plerocercoids increased with age of walleye until age class
5 then declined significantly in older fish. intensity increased from a mean of 23 (in age class 0) to a maximum of
171 in age class 5 and was only 58 in the 7+ age class. mean
intensity of plerocercoids increased continuously with the
age of yellow perch from 2 (age class 0) to a maximum of 20
in the 5+ age class.
all age classes of walleye (0 to 7+) became infected by
preying on yellow perch, particularly the young-of-the-year
(yoy). small yellow perch became infected by eating copepods
but older perch obtained plerocercoids by cannibalism. the
transmission of plerocercoids to walleye and yellow perch
was greatest during late summer. young-of-the-year walleye
and yoy yellow perch first harboured plerocercoids in early august.
the liver was the first organ of walleye and yellow
perch to be invaded by migrating plerocercoids. however, in walleye, the mesenteries ultimately contained the greatest
proportion of p1erocercoids in age 1 and older fish. the
liver remained a relatively important site for plerocercoids
in all age classes of yellow perch. relatively few
plerocercoids were found in the gonads of walleye or yellow
perch. walleye fecundity was not correlated with
plerocercoid intensity.
ninespine sticklebacks ( fungitius pungitius ) and
logperch (percina caprodes ) were found to harbour p.
ambloplitis p1erocercoids . these are new host records.
migrating plerocercoids caused the greatest
pathological change in the liver of walleye and yellow
perch. zones of compressed and necrotic hepatocytes were
evident adjacent to live, unencapsulated plierocercoids . the
mesenteries of walleye were often fibrosed in response to
large numbers of invading plerocercoids. the
gastro-intestinal tract, posterior gonads and associated mesenteries were often compacted with fibrous tissue.
obstruction of the passage of gametes is possible.
constriction of the oviduct may result from the fibrous
reaction. also, encapsulated plerocercoids were found in the
lumen of the oviduct creating a physical barrier. the wall
of capsules encompassing plerocercoids in walleye was
relatively thin (maximum of 90 microns) while in yellow
perch, it was up to 290 microns thick.
collections
- retrospective theses [1604]