Helminth and Myxozoan Parasites of Fishes of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park

Hendrix, Sherman

This research proposal is to add to the small Park ATBI database on parasites of fishes especially for potentially pathogenic species. There is a paucity of data concerning helminth (worm) parasites (Playthelminthes, including the classes Cestoda (tapeworms), Monogenea (flukes), and Trematoda (flukes); Nematoda (round worms); and Acanthocephala (thorny-headed worms) of fishes in the Park. The only records on fish helminths are mostly immature platyhelminth and nematodes determined by Joseph Camp who examined few specimens of about 15 fish species obtained at selected park localities in the early 2000s (GRSM-00005). This is a small fraction of the 88 known fish species within park watersheds. PI collected fish from Cataloochee Creek, Cosby Creek, Deep Creek, Little River, and the West Prong of the Little Pigeon River, including Fighting Creek, and received fish from Matt Kulp from the northern and western portions of the park, and from Emily Darling collected on Eagle Creek. The following organs were checked for free or encysted parasites: external surfaces and fins, gills, brain, eyes, heart, kidney, liver, gonads, gall bladder, swim bladder, musculature, mesenteries, stomach and intestine. To date, 47 of 81 (58%) of fishes studied comprising 18 species had at least one species of helminth and/or myxozoan parasite present. All helminth groups except acantocephalans were observed, as was a possible mussel glochidia, representing the first freshwater mussel record from Deep Creek since Fontana Dam. Shiners, chubs, dace and suckers were most frequently infected while the few trout examined were less likely to have parasites. Based on these limited samples, larger streams such as the Little River, West Prong of the Little Pigeon, and Oconaluftee River contained both more fish species and parasites than those of smaller streams such as Cosby and Fighting Creeks.

Helminth and Myxozoan Parasites of Fishes of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park

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