The Trematode Fauna of Ponto-Caspian Gobies (Pisces, Gobiidae) in the Saratov Reservoir

Abstract

The trematode fauna of three species of gobies, round goby, bighead goby, and tubenose goby (Pisces, Gobiidae), has been studied in the middle part of the Saratov Reservoir. Twelve species of digenetic flukes are recorded, two of which (metacercariae Holostephanus cobitidis and Apatemon gracilis) are specific to gobies of the family Gobiidae. Most of the registered parasites are widespread species. The larval forms of worms prevailed in all examined samples of fish. The trematode fauna of the gobies under study is characterized by a significant similarity of the species composition.