NEW RECORDS OF ACANTHOCEPHALANS INFECTING FISH OFF HEARD ISLAND (KERGUELEN SUB-REGION, SUB-ANTARCTIC)

Between August and October 1993, elasmobranchs and teleosts were colle cted from the open sea bottom waters of Heard Island in the Kerguelen sub-region of the sub-Antarctic, and these examined for acanthocephala ns. A total of 38 fish, 4 specimens of 2 elasmobranch species (Rajidae ) and 34 specimens of 5 teleost species (Nototheniidae, Channichthyida e and Congiopodidae) were collected. Although elasmobranchs were not i nfected, 8 specimens of 4 teleost species were infected. Three acantho cephalan species were recovered: Heterosentis heteracanthus (Linstow) (adults), Corynosoma arctocephali Zdzitowiecki (cystacanths) and Coryn osoma bullosum (Linstow) (cystacanths). The first two were new geograp hic recordings for the Kerguelen sub-region. New host records were C. arctocephali and C. bullosum in Channichthys rhinoceratus Richardson a nd Zanclorhynchus spinifer (Gunther). It is suggested that additional species of acanthocephalans will be found in this area.