DYNAMICS OF SELECT PARASITE INFESTATION OF THE THREE-SPINED STICKLEBACK IN DEPENDENCE ON THE PLACE OF CATCHING IN THE SOUTHERN BALTIC

Abstract

The three - spined stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus (L.) has been a very frequent fish in coastal waters. The examined sticklebacks were collected from the Middle Coast (Rowy, Ustka, Darłowo, Kołobrzeg), from the Gulf of Gdańsk (Gdynia, Puck, Hel) and the Dead Vistula (Górki Wschodnie). The studies on the correlation between the dynamics of infestation and places of fish catching were carried out. Some species of parasites infected fish generally from the Middle Coast or from the the Gulf of Gdańsk. All species of Acanthocephala, Gyrodactylus arcuatus (Monogenea), glochidia (larvae Bivalvia) infected sticklebacks from the Middle Coast with the highest prevalence. Fish from the Gulf of Gdańsk were infected by Apatemon sp. (Digenea), Schistocephalus solidus (Cestoda) and Thersitina gasterostei (Copepoda) more often than remaining fish. Ciliates generally infected fish from the Dead Vistula.

Key words: three-spined stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus, parasites, mean intensity and prevalence of infestation, Polish coastal zone of the Baltic Sea.