Cymothoid isopods (Crustacea, Isopoda) are considered as potential threat to the health of different fish species. In order to evaluate the prevalence and proximate analysis of Cymothoid isopods and its host, an investigation was carried out fish species belonging to families Hemiramphidae and Belonidae in the Palk Bay region, Southeastern India. A total of 1265 individuals of teleost fish belonging to family Hemiramphidae species, (462), (78), and (277) and another family Belonidae species, (448), were examined for cymothoid ectoparasitic infestation. Prevalence in was the highest (39%) for the cymothoid, while was most infested (13%) with and were not infested by while was not infested by Proximate analysis showed reduced level of protein in parasite infested fish compared with non-infested individuals. However, carbohydrate and lipid concentrations were lower in infested fish than non-infested individuals. Proximate analysis values in the two parasites of species were similar, and these values were comparable to those unaffected fish species indicating that parasites were well nourished. The proximate analysis of isopod parasite showed 21.6 ± 7.7, 1.26 ± 0.05, 5.49 ± 1.06% of protein, carbohydrate and lipid respectively, and in 21.09 ± 6.6, 1.32 ± 0.12, 5.83 ± 0.72% of protein, carbohydrate and lipid respectively. Cadmium levels were similar between affected and non-affected fish individuals and among species. The Pb levels were comparable among all individuals, but the levels of Cd not showed much variation between affected and unaffected individuals in all four fish species.

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