Parasite communities and infection levels of the invasive Chinese sleeper Perccottus glenii (Actinopterygii: Odontobutidae) from the Naab river basin, Germany

Abstract

The Chinese sleeper (Perccottus glenii), an invasive Asian fish, was first registered in Germany in 2009 (westernmost extent of its invasive range). We sampled Chinese sleepers from two localities on the Bücherlgraben creek (a tributary of the River Naab) in south-eastern Germany in November 2015 and examined them for parasite infection. Twelve taxa were registered, including ciliates (unidentified Trichodina), a monogenean, three cestode species, two digenean taxa, two acanthocephalan species, two nematode species and one mollusc glochidia. Infracommunities consisted of 1-5 species, with 10% of fish uninfected. Three parasite species (Acanthocephalus anguillae, Gyrodactylus luciopercae and Pseudocapillaria tomentosa) were recorded on Chinese sleepers for the first time. The results highlight the important role of the Chinese sleeper as a second intermediate host in the life cycle of heron and grebe parasites. The Chinese sleeper parasite community displayed low homogeneity at both localities sampled, with allogenic parasites (metacercariae and mesocercoids) mostly shared. Differences between localities were mainly caused by autogenic parasites. No invasive parasites associated with the Chinese sleeper were observed in the study area, all parasites being representatives of European fauna. This supports the hypothesis of introduction via the aquarium trade or through transport with commercial fish.

Parasite acquisition by the invasive Chinese sleeper ( Perccottus glenii Dybowski, 1877) (Gobiiformes: Odontobutidae) in Latvia and Ukraine

“…Hence, the finding of two specimens of this parasite on a fish from the University pond confirms its predatory behaviour on isopods. Acanthocephalus lucii has previously been recorded on Chinese sleeper from the Danube basin (Kvach et al., 2017; Kvach, Ondračková, Kutsokon, et al, 2018).…”

“…Chinese sleeper from the Danube basin (Kvach et al, 2017;Kvach, Ondračková, Kutsokon, et al, 2018). (Moravec, 2013;Sudarikov, Lomakin, Atajev, & Semenova, 2006).…”

“…E. tubifex at Lake Kartal, M. xanthosomus at Vylkove and I. melis at Lake Krysyne (see Table 2). The larvae of E. tubifex have previously been registered in Chinese sleeper from the River Vistula in Poland (Mierzejewska, Kvach, Woźniak, Kosowska, & Dziekonska‐Rynko, 2012), while M. xanthosomus has been registered from the Upper Danube basin in Germany (Kvach, Janáč, Nehring, Ondračková, & Jurajda, 2017) and I. melis at many localities in the European part of Russia (Sokolov, Reshetnikov, & Protasova, 2014).…”

A checklist of parasites of non‐native populations of the fish rotanPerccottus glenii(Odontobutidae): Communication II

“…Kirjušina, Lazdāne, & Zolovs, 2014; Kvach, Kutsokon, Stepien, & Markovych, 2016; Polyaeva & Yablokov, 2017; Sokolov, 2018; Sokolov & Moshu, 2013; Sokolov & Novozhilov, 2015; Sokolov & Protasova, 2014; Sokolov, Protasova, Lebedeva, Gorlachyova, & Gorlachyov, 2016). Additionally, the rotan was recently recorded for the first time in natural water bodies of Germany (Nehring & Steinhof, 2015; Reshetnikov & Karyagina, 2015; Reshetnikov & Schliewen, 2013) and the data on its parasites from that country have been published (Kvach et al, 2017; Sokolov, Protasova, & Reshetnikov, 2015).…”

“…In water bodies of its invaded range, this fish establishes parasite interactions with native invertebrate and vertebrate hydrobiontes (e.g. Kvach, Janáč, Nehring, Ondračková, & Jurajda, 2017; Reshetnikov et al, 2013; Sokolov, Protasova, Reshetnikov, & Voropaeva, 2012; Sokolov, Reshetnikov, Protasova, & Voropaeva, 2017).…”