Pathologic Abnormalities of Fish in Turkish Coastal Waters of the Eastern Black Sea

Authors: Fatma TELLİ, Figen DORAN

Abstract: All Whiting (Merlangius merlangus euxinus, Nordmann, 1840; Gadidae) and Sprat (Sprattus sprattus phalericus, Risso, 1826; Clupeidae), which are the most common fish species caught at stations off Sinop and Samsun in the Black Sea during January and February 1994 were found to be generally unhealthy and, in particular, infested by parasites. The dominant parasite was Hysterothylacium aduncum (Hartwich, 1954; Anisakidae) in both species. Marked micro- and macrovesicullar fatty degeneration was observed in histologic cross-sections of liver tissue and some livers were almost infested by parasites.

Keywords: Hysterothylacium aduncum, Whiting, Sprat, vesicular degeneration, Black Sea.