TY - JOUR AU - Al-Darwesh, Ali A. R. AU - Ali, Atheer H. AU - Saud, Hussein A. PY - 2022/12/22 Y2 - 2024/03/28 TI - First Record of Calydiscoides difficilis (Yamaguti, 1953) Young, 1969 (Monogenoidea, Polyonchoinea, Diplectaniade) on Gills of Three Fish species off Marine Waters of Iraq JF - Basrah Journal of Agricultural Sciences JA - Basrah J. Agric. Sci. VL - 35 IS - 2 SE - ORIGINAL ARTICLE(S) DO - 10.37077/25200860.2022.35.2.21 UR - https://www.bjas.bajas.edu.iq/index.php/bjas/article/view/760 SP - 281-290 AB - <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;">A parasitological examination of two species of lethrinid fishes; Pink ear emperor <em>Lethrinus lentjan</em>, Spangled emperor <em>L. nebulosus</em> and Areolate grouper <em>Epinephelus areolatus</em> caught in Iraqi marine territorial waters from January to December 2020, revealed that the gills of the fishes were infected with deiplectanid monogenoid, which is identified as <em>Calydiscoides difficilis</em> (Yamaguti, 1953) Young, 1969. This study redescribed the parasite and for the first time described the egg and confirmed that the species has a wide range of dimension resulting from intraspecific variations. The measurements of hard and soft parts of the parasite collected from<em> L. lentjan </em>are smaller than those from <em>L. nebulosus. </em>In addition, the measurements from<em> E. areolatus </em>are close to that from<em> L. lentjan </em>or intermediate between<em> L. nebulosus </em>and<em> L. lentjan.</em></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"> The past record of <em>C. difficilis</em> from <em>L. harak</em> is discussed and hence <em>L. nebulosus</em> and <em>L. lentjan</em> are considered as new records to the Arabian Gulf. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;">Dimensions </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;">of the eggs of the parasite in the current study is given here for the first time. The occurrence of <em>C. difficilis</em> from Epinephelidae is considered as a new host family record.</span></span></span></p> ER -